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One of New Zealand’s most prominent sports-business figures has been named in a new role to leverage the country’s sporting success on a global scale.
Former Black Sticks captain and Sport New Zealand CEO Peter Miskimmin is working as New Zealand’s sports diplomacy manager, a role that willtry and capitalise on the country’s sporting prominence to build global connections.
The role aims to use New Zealand’s sporting assets to achieve various governmental objectives, be they political, economic or social.
Peter Miskimmin, a former Black Sticks captain and assistant coach, is now serving as New Zealand's sports diplomacy manager. Photo / Photosport
He will work with agencies that include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, New Zealand Story, Education New Zealand, and Sport New Zealand, answering to the latter and its CEO Raelene Castle.
Miskimmin says success will be measured in tangible and nuanced ways until a strategy is finalised this year. For tourism, this could mean an increase in visitor numbers, while for political relations, it could be about the depth and quality of relationships built.
“It’s a new term for a pretty old practice,” Miskimmin told the Herald. “Sport has always been used to change perspectives and connect with people around the world. The idea is how might we use [sport] to advance government outcomes.
“Sport breaks down formal barriers, fostering relaxed conversations and unique connections globally. It takes away all of the officialdom and allows us to have conversations about things we ordinarily wouldn’t.”
However, it won’t be smooth sailing, with Miskimmin acknowledging the challenge of overcoming silos within various agencies. Yet he remains optimistic, believing that with time and effort, he can find “sweet spots” that yield substantial benefits.
Work towards a strategy plan for the role is under way, with an update expected this year from Sports Minister Christopher Bishop. In a statement, Bishop said sports diplomacy hoped to advance New Zealand’s “global interests” by unlocking value through sports events, opportunities and networks.
“New Zealand’s athletes and our sporting ethos are held in high esteem all around the world, so it makes sense to harness that goodwill when we’re building relationships and working toward trade deals overseas.”
Sports diplomacy explained by an expert
Sports diplomacy, which involves using sports as a tool for building connections between nations, is an effective way to foster international relations in the modern world, according to one of the world’s leading academics on the subject, Bond University’s Dr Stuart Murray.
He suggests New Zealand should embrace sports diplomacy with open arms.
“If sport matters so much to New Zealand’s culture, diplomacy is representing that culture so sport has to be front and centre of it.
“[Sports diplomacy] is about how the New Zealand Government can use the influence of sport to achieve foreign policy ends. When you say that it sounds as if these evil politicians are dicing up sport but it’s not.
“Politicians don’t really understand this space so it’s about teaming up with, for example, the All Blacks and trying to understand why it’s so powerful. We know how much the All Blacks are worth business-wise, we know about sports performance and why they’re so good but we don’t really understand their impact, power, and how they can build friends and influence people.”
Murray explains that in the 20th century, governments saw it as a foreign-policy tool similar to defence. However, it was often used sporadically and opportunistically with a focus on national interests, but the approach has since evolved.
“They used and abused it ... What’s changed is the [introduction] of new ideas, that it’s not enough for governments to act alone. It’s now about partnerships and whole-of-nation efforts.”
A prime example of sporadic and opportunistic sports diplomacy are table tennis matches between the US and China to ease Cold War tensions in the 1970s.
US champion Erwin Klein (left) plays Li Fu-jung, of China, in a singles ping-pong match in Los Angeles. The matches were aimed at easing Cold War tensions in the 1970s. Photo / Getty Images
“When you’re talking about modern international relations, especially in the Pacific, we talk about battles for hearts and minds and it’s not just capturing the elite with big bags of money. That only works to a certain degree. Diplomacy in the 21st century is about building people-to-people connections and sport is massively powerful for that.”
The modern strategic use of sports diplomacy is evident in recent geopolitical moves.
China, for example, made a substantial investment in the 2023 Pacific Games, including the contribution of $201 million for a new national stadium and other facilities in Solomon Islands.
Similarly, the NRL’s ambition to include a Papua New Guinea team, supported by a $650m investment from the Australian government over the next decade, is seen by Murray as part of a broader effort to counter China’s influence in the South Pacific.
“That’s got f*** all to do with rugby league. It’s entirely a charm offensive,” Murray claimed.
“China is creeping into the Pacific and that’s where all this has been driven lately. We don’t want them there even though they have been for thousands of years but it’s about how you can use sport to secure the Indo-Pacific.”
Luke Kirkness is the sports planning editor for the NZ Herald. He’s an award-winning journalist who also covered consumer affairs for the Herald and served as an assistant news director.
