A Complex World, On and Off the Field
Sport doesn't come down to performances on the field alone. To understand why, it helps to look at five types of stakeholders who keep the industry running.
Athletes come first, and rightly so. They work day in and day out to sharpen their skills and, hopefully, still enjoy the game along the way. They engage with clubs, federations, sponsors, training facilities, and sometimes managers and government officials. Some of these relationships are informal; others are tightly formalised.
Global sports and retail brands are next. Think Nike or Adidas, active in as many disciplines as their marketing teams can manage or choose to focus on. Or think Heineken and Coca-Cola. All of these companies share a similar goal: get as close to fans and athletes as possible by attaching their brand name to the sport and its audience.
Where does that activation actually happen? At the venues, most likely. Have you ever considered what it takes to prepare a venue for a World Cup match or a major running event? Food logistics, merchandise, volunteers, government approvals — all of it needs to be arranged, planned, and executed properly.
That's the job of event organisers, whether that's an Olympic host city or a private company. They run a business like any other, with people responsible for planning, HR, ticket sales, and more. Many of them start small and grow from startup to scale-up to enterprise — and, ideally, their processes grow right along with them.
Finally, there are sporting federations and associations, present at every layer of the sport. They act as the spider in the web, protecting the image of their sport and extending its reach, while staying true to its values and supporting the athletes who play it.
How Many Contracts Does It Take to Run the Olympics?
With five major stakeholder groups identified, here's a good interview question: how many contracting documents does it take to organise the 2026 Winter Olympics? Honestly, nobody would land anywhere near the real number. But the reasoning behind that number is what makes it interesting.
Personnel contracts are the obvious starting point: player contracts, endorsements, supporting staff agreements, volunteer contracts. Multiply that across every country, federation, and athlete involved, and don't forget the sponsors and organisers hiring extra people just for the event.
Then there's the commercial side. Title and venue sponsorships, equipment deals, accommodation agreements, and broadcasting contracts make up a large share of this branch. Add ticketing arrangements — both B2B and B2C — and that covers most of the commercial layer.
Suppliers and operations form another huge chunk, spanning venue arrangements, nutritional and medical supplies, travel, and technology. On top of that, expect a long list of subcontracting agreements, since undertakings this size are almost always too much for any single business to handle alone.
We could go several layers deeper — contract metadata, approval workflows, sport-specific legal terminology — but let's leave it there for now.
The Common Thread: Agreements
So here's where we land. The effort and dedication of athletes can never be underestimated, but it takes a village to bring sport to the world, whether people are watching it or playing it themselves. Behind that village is a web of organisations and people working together, and behind that web is a foundation of agreements and contracts — quietly making sure the work gets done efficiently and on time.
Good collaboration starts with good communication and clear expectations. Look at this system of stakeholders and you'll see a whole community capable of moving mountains, because the contracts between them provide the security needed for whatever scenario comes up.
Do you know a sporting organisation struggling to digitise or organise its contracts and processes? Maybe we can help, and become part of this great team of sports professionals. Don't hesitate to reach out to Kamadi if that's the case.
