The Netherlands, with its international successes and orange colour, is reckoned to be a leading sports nation. The Netherlands has a lot to offer in the field of top sport, but also in sport for all. A number of up and coming markets have indicated to wanting to co-operate with the Netherlands in the field of sport. There are great market opportunities for Dutch companies, organisations and institutions.

Orange Sports Forum is the initiative of a number of co-operating companies and institutions that wish sport well. Orange Sports Forum is a platform for the promotion of companies, organisations and institutions affiliated to Dutch sport. It is about ‘hardware’ (infrastructure, accommodations, financing, advising, etc) and ‘software’ (training, coaching, education, organization, sports marketing, etc). We want to map the opportunities for Dutch companies with this initiative and create a platform where Dutch companies and institutions can get in contact with clients and possible partners from developing markets.

India is one market where Orange Sports Forum is active. With the (fast) growth of the Indian economy, the demand for sporting experience is growing too. India is expected to greatly invest in sport and will organize a number of international sport events in the coming years. It also has Olympic ambitions. The Indian National Cricket Competition has grown into one of the world’s most valuable sport brands and the Indian National Soccer Competition has begun  to be serious. India has a large and expanding middle-class (at this moment about 300 million people), with time and money to spend on participating in and experiencing sport.

The Bridge business innovators – part of Twynstra Gudde -  wants to organise the start of Orange Sports Forum to give form and content to the relation between the Netherlands and India in the field of sport. We have now started to gather companies and organisations from the Dutch sport industry that are interested in the Indian market and other up and coming markets.