The UAE Pro League organized on Tuesday, the 3rd edition of the UAE League Development Forum, taking place on March 5th and 6th at the Raffles Hotel.
The forum sees participation from an elite group of speakers from major sports organizations and representatives of professional clubs and media.
The first-day activities were inaugurated by a speech delivered by UAE Pro League chairman His Excellency Abdulla Naser Al Jneibi, in which he welcomed the attendees, saying, “The forum is a platform to display development ideas, which contribute to continuing efforts to build a bright future for Emirati football, which has overwhelming support from our wise leadership."
"Football has become a science that is being applied as attaining high ranks in this field must require knowledge, specialization, and strategy, which are the most prominent axes of any sports institution's vision, that looks forward to harmonizing global standards in the football industry at the professional level," he added.
"As the development became an ongoing process, sothe technical, commercial, and media levels in football are always constant. Implementing digitalization and artificial intelligence became urgent need to keep pace with changes. Meanwhile, considering sustainability concepts opens the door for us to protect the planet via football, which is followed by a large number of people on the earth," the UAE Pro League chairman noted.
Al Jneibi lauded the effective role played by strategic partners, including sponsors, clubs, and media, in developing Emirati football.
The forum's first session discussed "Fan Engagement in Digital Age, " through a display provided by Chief Executive Officer of Everton, Alan McTavish.
During his presentation, he reviewed the importance of digital media in interacting with fans, disseminating messages and information, and promoting the club's various events. In this regard, McTavish comes up with several recommendations to the clubs to boost fan engagement.
The second session probed "Football and Sustainability," as it was presented by Elliot Arthur, Founder of Football for Future. During his presentation, Arthur explained the new concept of sustainability in football and how to use it in supporting the economic aspect, related to the game and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for future generations.
During the "Trends in Football" session, Jordan Heath, Senior Consultant at Twenty First Group, reviewed the global status of Asian football compared to football in other continents, the modern trends in Asian football, and the most prominent opportunities available to Emirati professional clubs.
The fourth session, entitled "The Role of Sporting Director," highlighted the significance of sports directors' roles and the strategic development of professional clubs. During this session, Daniel Parnell, CEO of the Association of Sporting Directors, affirmed the big role of the sports directors in each club and their influence on clubs’ sports infrastructure to achieve sustainable success.
The forum's first day concludes with a "Future of Stadia Design" session, during which Marcel Ridyard, Associate at AFL Architects, discussed the stadium industry and the latest developments in modern stadium design's field.
The 3rd edition of the forum will conclude on Wednesday with a Panel discussion about strategies and success criteria for technical leaders in football." Frank Ludolph, UEFA Head of Technical Development, and Ulf Schott ,FIFA Head of High-Performance Programmes, will partake in this session, which will be presented by TV anchor Yakoob Al Saadi.
This forum is part of the UAE Pro League's strategic plan to enhance the Professional League by exploring global best practices in football.
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