One of the participants at these years IWGA media workshop was Dani Ezpeleta, social media specialist at the International Korfball Federation (IKF). In the IWGA Interview of the Month, he shares what he learned from meeting in IOC headquarters in LausanneSwitzerland, and describes how to use the lessons on how to promote World Games 2025 in Chengdu, People’s Republic of China.
What were your expectations going to the workshop? Did the two days in Lausanne live up to those expectations?
Dani Ezpeleta: I have attended all previous IWGA workshops, either physically or online, and the content and topics have always been very interesting and useful for my tasks and goals as a Social Media Specialist at IKF. Moreover, each year the topics changed a bit and the organizers did a great job focusing on some key points that are becoming more and more relevant and important to us in this digital world that is evolving so fast. In my opinion, the main focus of this workshop for the next edition of The World Games in Chengdu was a success because it is a great challenge for all of us to understand the culture of the Chinese audience and the way they think and interact.
What made the workshop special from your point of view?
Dani Ezpeleta: The fact that after the last two years of travel restrictions I can physically reunite with all other media officials. The experiences and challenges we face each day individually are very similar, but the way we solve them is not always the same listening and learning from each other opens up a new world of ideas and solutions for you. These various working group sessions, coffee breaks and evening discussions after work are essential and also a very important part of these events.
What were the most important learning outcomes for you?
Dani Ezpeleta: As I mentioned, China is a fascinating country with a very unique culture and tradition, and the earlier we start working and understanding how it interacts with post-pandemic social media, the better; this interaction is a key factor for us. Korfball is well known in certain regions of the country and The World Games 2025 is the perfect event to go further and reach new audiences, bring in new players and coaches, and promote more regional and national competitions. The workshop sessions have clarified many of these questions, and being part of the TWG family can open many doors for all federations to help them achieve local and global goals for the dissemination of their sport and community.
Was there a tip or tip that made you say to yourself, “Good to know, we’ll do that in the future too”?
Dani Ezpeleta: There was a lot of good guidance in the workshop from lecturers and other participants, in many different areas and at many different levels. These included ways to connect with potential stakeholders, how we can reach out and work with athletes to engage new audiences and global markets for them and us, how to create relevant social media conversations with creative content, various tips, making our videos more viral, ways to maintain the quality and effectiveness of our live streams, and so on.
What is the importance of The World Games to the Korfball community and how do you communicate to your fans that you are part of The World Games family?
Dani Ezpeleta: This is for all Korfball players the biggest event they can attend and they know it. The number of athletes and the size of The World Games at all levels is staggering. We try to convey this to all our Korfball fans and followers as much as possible in our publications and posts to encourage them to share this fact and be proud and honored to be part of this great sporting community aiming to be in the future at the Olympic Games. In doing so, they also share the values ??of collaboration, equality, perseverance, fair play and respect represented by the #WeAreTheWorldGames motto.
What are the expectations of the IKF ahead of the Chengdu Games? Have you set yourself any specific goals? (note: The World Games 2025 sports program has not yet been ratified)
Dani Ezpeleta: IKF has big plans for The World Games in China. In addition to keeping the spread of Korfball in the country, #RoadToChengdu has already started for all 24 countries that will participate in next year’s Taipei World Championship in Chinese Taipei. The top 8 teams will qualify for TWG 2025 and the main goal is to make them feel like they are all part of The World Games even if they don’t qualify. Also, as China ranks high in the World Rankings, we expect a strong performance from the Chinese Korfball team, which we expect to gain wide media coverage in China.
Do you see any particular challenges and how will you prepare for them?
Dani Ezpeleta: From a technical point of view, it can be a little complicated to prepare and make sure all your regular connectivity and access to social media platforms and broadcasting services run smoothly. But this was the focus of the workshop and we saw that with the help and support of the IWGA and ISB, they would be able to provide quality solutions to these potential challenges.
On the other hand, there is already a local team of volunteers and IKF activists preparing for our next World Championships in this country. They will be key in starting and maintaining the necessary communities and contacts needed to host a successful Korfball event at TWG 2025 and in laying the foundations for a solid and active fan base.
Are there any topics you would like covered in the next workshop?
Dani Ezpeleta: I’m pretty sure the organizers got the best comments and suggestions from all the attendees and they always surprise you with some things you didn’t expect, but in the end they become quite relevant. Anyway, I’d love to hear more about other case studies on growing audiences and new digital communities in China and other Asian countries.
World games is a multi-sport event organized every four years by the International World Games Association, organized with the support of the International Olympic Committee. The 2022 World Games took place in Birmingham, Alabama, USA from July 7-17, 2022. 3,600 athletes from 34 sports and 100 countries participated in the Games. The 12th edition of The World Games will be held in Chengdu, CHN in 2025.
