Successful performances by athletes always present a fresh opportunity to narrate the story of their homeland. This sparks a surge in information searches across various search engines. For instance, during the final football match of the Wolrd Cup in Russia, the Croatian Tourist Board witnessed a staggering 250 percent increase in website visitors. Additionally, there were two million impressions on Twitter, 8.5 million visits on Instagram, and an overall reach of 5 million users on Facebook. All of this solely due to the world of sports. Another promising opportunity for achieving results and enhancing promotion lies ahead in 2024. This year will host the Olympic Games and the European Football Championship, forming an ideal combination for sports enthusiasts. It’s also a golden chance for athletes to secure new triumphs. Do we truly understand how to harness the potential that athletes create for us? Which sports stand as Croatia’s promotional strengths? How challenging or effortless is it to secure sponsorships? Can athletes not only survive but also ascend to podiums without such support? The answers will be provided by Ivica Tucak, the coach of the Croatian water polo team, Marko Šapit, HTV’s ( Croatian television) sports commentator, and Edi Prodan, a journalist from Novi list, in conversation with moderator Petar Štefanić.
