African Sports Centre for Data, Research and Technology (also known simply as African Sports Centre or ASC) is an organisation committed to championing the use of scientific and technical methodologies and innovations for the development of sports, largely by data, research and technology (DR&T) in an integrated approach.
Our objectives also target four of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): (3) Good Health and Well-being, (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and (17) Partnerships for the Goals.
Based in Accra, Ghana, and with a satellite office in Nigeria, ASC is devoted to increasing awareness and utilisation of sports DR&T in Africa and to providing related services. We are a one-stop centre of excellence for on or off-pitch data collection and management, performance, scouting, betting, health and safety, research, training and advocacy, events (seminars, workshops and conferences), consultancy, etc.
We coordinate and facilitate public, governmental, non-governmental and private sector initiatives in sports, provide relief for sports teams, and serve the needs of the commercial sector – all aimed at bridging the gap between the continent and the rest of the world and tackling inequalities.
Our services are targeted at sports teams, national and regional sports governing bodies and associations, regulatory agencies, NGOs, private businesses/corporate entities, and other sports DR&T companies. We are more than happy to partner, serve or help.
With training and advocacy among our top priorities, we seek to spread the message of the incredible opportunities available to sports outfits from the utilisation of DR&T, more so in these days of million-dollar brand sponsorships, performance monitoring and analytics, media digitalisation, social media marketing and sports betting. It is our vision that sports teams in Africa, like those in other parts of the world, exploit DR&T for maximum benefits.
We aspire to lead the way in capacity-building, providing outfits with the technical know-how and resources to make the best use of DR&T. In the face of admittedly bigger responsibilities and priorities – like heavy debts of player salaries – we aim to provide teams with equally good but less costly options.
The games and industry have moved on from opinions, intuitions and theories to data, research and technology-driven decisions. For long, Africa has lagged behind. But the narrative has been on the change. And we, the ASC, are proud to lead the charge.
