In April, special guest Philip Alimo joined the award-winning “Listen In With KNN” sports talk podcast and radio show, to discuss the globalization of sports with host and executive producer Kelsey Nicole Nelson.
Alimo, a sports communication specialist and data expert based in Ghana has seen first hand how the growth of sports has played a major role in both Europe and Africa. Nelson began by thanking Alimo for joining the show and mentioned how hectic things were getting in the United States in preparation for the Olympics. She went on to ask Alimo if the situation was the same in Ghana.
Alimo shared details of how at the time Ghana had just hosted the All African Games. 52 countries participated in the All African Games (now called the African Games), which were held from March 8 to March 23. The African Games serve as a qualification for the Olympics.
Speaking to what the African Games offer, Alimo said, “That shows a level of excitement and preparation towards the Olympic Games, as well as the upcoming games in the summer, even though they are in other continents.”
Nelson honed in to the specific growth of NBA Africa and asked Alimo if he had any insight on how the league was being received there.
“It’s interesting, not just the NBA, but talking of growing sports that are not traditionally known in Africa. In Africa, the most predominant sports are soccer, as the U.S. will call it…and also athletics and boxing because these are the easiest and go-to sports that people understand,” said Alimo.
As the discussion expanded around the growth of sports in Africa, Alimo also mentioned the NFL shooting a promotional video in Africa for the most recent Super Bowl and the growth of both American football and basketball in Africa.
“There are a lot of talents that are coming from Africa, directly into the NBA markets in the United States. And that is good for the international image of the sport and gives a lot of hope and aspiration to young people. That those that pursue their interests passionately in either basketball or American football, they know there’s a pathway that they can grow to the highest level of the sports,” he said.
Speaking of growing sports, the two also spoke about the growing diversity in the NFL and of one player in particular, NFL linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
“Recently, there’s an NFL player from Ghana, Jeremiah, who always dresses in the traditional Ghanaian outfit. He was recently featured in the GQ magazine. Amazing,” said Alimo.
In February, Owusu-Koramoah was voted the NFL’s most stylish player according to GQ.
“I love that he’s being embraced for truly showcasing who he is and where he comes from,” Nelson added.
Nelson continued to expand upon the necessity of an international audience to grow the game, citing upcoming NBA and NFL games which will be played overseas.
Alimo said, “Taking the league global does a lot to the image of the sport and it also broadens the scope in terms of the impact it makes on the lives of people.”
Nelson then pivoted from the international to the personal and asked Alimo to shed light on his own story asking how he got into sports media.
“I originally grew up with the aspiration of developing a career in the sciences. So from high school, actually I was a science student. So my first dream was to be a neurosurgeon. But along the line in my biology class, I realized that as much as I love to help people and make a difference in the lives of people, blood and biology was not for me.”
Alimo went on to detail how he then decided to pursue mechanical engineering while treating sports communication as a hobby on the editorial board for his school magazine. Between high school and university, he ended up working at a local radio station where he hosted a show called “Sports Digest,”
Though it was the initial plan, Alimo decided not to pursue mechanical engineering.
“Whilst my colleagues were going for internships and Goldman Sachs and all the top end organizations you can tick off, I thought, you know what? I’d love to work with the crème de la crème in sports and be part of the greatest events in the world at the time, which was to work with FIFA and be part of the first ever World Cup on the African soil.
So Alimo applied to be a volunteer for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“I just placed this wish. I didn’t know how it was going to happen,” he said.
One year later he was volunteering for the World Cup.
“To God be the glory, I played a crucial role and that marked my journey on the international stage,” said Alimo.
Nelson then moved the conversation from past to present, asking about what Alimo’s day to day looks like and how he got into the data side of sports communications.
“Having come from a quantitative background, a financial background, and seen what numbers do…that is what inspired me to go into data analytics. I give you reasons why you can improve and how you can get better at what you do. This is what data does. It helps you bridge the gap in communication and also not just speaking to opinion, but speaking to facts,” said Alimo.
In regard to the growing national and international women’s sports scene, Nelson asked Alimo’s thoughts on getting fans connected with the growing women’s game.
“We sell beautiful stories of what is happening behind-the-scenes, the documentary features, and the impacts that women’s sports is having in various host cities, the venues, participating teams, producing multimedia content. Just like we are doing now with the podcast, video series, etc.,” said Alimo.
He also listed other services, like event coverage, data analysis, collaborations, community-building, and educational programs.
“I’m willing and ready to support in whatever capacity, in all the areas that I’ve mentioned, partnering with universities, colleges, the sports industry, to offer dedicated programs and mentorship programs, networking events and career development resources to support emerging talent and foster diversity and inclusion within the sports media industry,” said Alimo.
Before finishing the conversation, Alimo left the audience with a parting remark, one which continues to inspire him.
“Know what you want. Know why you want it. Give unconditionally. Love unconditionally. For life is too short. We must focus on making a difference daily.”
Alimo can be contacted through his LinkedIn or his Twitter account.
Listen to the full show below.
