There are plenty of popular sports in Malawi and Africa at large. From soccer and athletics to rugby, plenty of people are playing plenty of sports. However, for all the activities we can participate in and watch as fans, there are some gaps. Indeed, if you look at the sports market in Europe, you’ll see events that we don’t get in Africa. There are reasons for this. Some sports simply aren’t popular, others are difficult due to environmental conditions (e.g. skiing), and some sports might not be regulated.
Whatever the reasons, the facts are that certain sports that make the headlines in Europe don’t get any press here. However, we live in a digital world, so it’s easier than ever to learn about new things. A single search can expose you to sports outside of your comfort zone. With this in mind, here are three sports that aren’t popular in Africa but could be with the right exposure.
Greyhound Racing
Go to Europe or Australia and you’ll see greyhounds chasing fake hares around tracks. Like horse racing, greyhound racing is built on betting. Online greyhound betting at tracks such as Hove in England is available multiple times per week. Fans simply have to go online via a website or app, and they can not only bet on greyhounds but get statistics and race results, and watch race replays.
They can even bet on virtual greyhound races. It’s a sport filled with drama that’s intensified by the fact you can speculate on the outcomes. With an online infrastructure already in place via betting sites, it wouldn’t take much for the sport to become popular in Africa.
Darts
Like greyhound racing, darts could be classed as a quintessentially English sport. Initially popular in pubs, the game is now a professional sport with a global following. The largest organisation in the sport is the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and, according to Pomanda, it has an annual turnover of £42 million.
There are other organisations, but the PDC has the biggest exposure, being shown on Sky TV, and its players are the best in the world. This means events have average viewing figures of 1.7 million. Hosting a tournament somewhere in Africa would expose the masses to darts and, potentially, bring another sport to the continent.
Snooker
The final activity from England that could bring something new to the African sporting scene is snooker. Played on a table measuring 11 ft 8.5 inches by 5 ft 10 inches (3569 mm by 1778 mm), snooker is considered the ultimate test of accuracy, angles, patience and tactics. However, despite tournaments such as the World Championship being watched by almost five million people, it’s not popular in Africa. However, this could change.
We already have the Africa Billiards & Snooker Confederation, as well as the ABSF African Snooker Championships. These organisations have been running since the 1990s, so the foundations are there. The sport just needs a push. Indeed, we’ve already seen what can happen when a few players break into the world rankings. China became a snooker hotspot once players such as Ding Junhui started winning at the top level. An African champion would spark a sports revolution and that could make snooker a popular sport across the continent.