Strategic communication in sports promotion and development in Uganda, a case study of the KAVC international tournament

Abstract

This study investigates the role of strategic communication in the promotion and development of sports events, focusing on the KAVC International Tournament in Uganda. The specific objectives of this study were as follows; to analyze the communication strategies employed by KAVC in promoting the International Tournament, to evaluate the effectiveness of strategic communication initiatives in enhancing the tournament's visibility and community engagement, and to identify challenges in implementing strategic communication in the KAVC international volleyball tournament. The study used a cross-sectional research design in which 80 participants were selected as a sample from the following institutions; KAVC (38), NSSF (3), Independent experts (5), NCS (4), other participating clubs (10) MoES (3), Media journalists (5), and the public (10). The research utilized primary data for the study, which was obtained through self-administered questionnaires and face-to-face in-depth interviews. SPSS and NVIVO were used to perform the analysis as they aided in organizing and summarizing the data. The analyzed data was represented in tables, and charts. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gain a comprehensive understanding of strategic communication practices in sports promotion. Quantitative data collected through surveys revealed that the effectiveness of strategic communication initiatives in enhancing tournament visibility had a mean rating of 4.39 (SD = 0.520), indicating a generally positive perception among respondents, while a mean score of 2.08 (SD = 0.480) reflected areas of uncertainty or inconsistency in implementation. Qualitative data obtained through interviews provided deeper insights into communication dynamics, offering contextual explanations for the quantitative trends and highlighting the practical realities faced by organizers in promoting the event. The research findings revealed that social media campaigns, utilized by 82.4% of respondents, were the most influential tool in enhancing the tournament’s visibility and audience engagement. In contrast, traditional media and sponsorship activations played complementary but less dominant roles, with utilization rates of 41.9% and 39.2%, respectively. Despite these successes, persistent challenges, such as limited financial and human resources, inconsistent stakeholder participation, and gaps in strategic planning, were identified as barriers to fully optimizing communication outcomes. The study recommends that KAVC strengthen its digital communication infrastructure, allocate more resources to strategic media management, and develop integrated stakeholder engagement frameworks. Addressing these areas will enhance the club’s communication effectiveness, ensuring the sustained growth and visibility of the KAVC International Tournament.