One of the founders of the “Smatchin” event, Miandrafenosoa Rakotovao, explained yesterday at the Mahamasina Sports Palace the beginning and evolution of Smatchin in ten editions.
Mr. Miandrafenosoa Rakotovao, Smatchin started from a project between friends at the beginning, why did you choose basketball?
I will correct you right away, Smatchin was born from the love of basketball between friends and not from a project between students. It starts from a daydream and a frustration because there was a basketball tournament we signed up for but at the last moment, our name wasn’t there. From there, we dreamed of our own organization. Ambition becomes great. Our project became a reality and the first edition saw the light of day, and we immediately targeted the Mahamasina Sports Palace, which was not within everyone’s reach at the time. We started at the Mahamasina Gymnasium for the first day, then moved to the Mahamasina Sports Palace afterwards. And here we are, we are in the tenth edition.
What innovations have you and your team made each year to perpetuate the formula?
At the beginning, everything is not easy. For the first edition, less than a hundred spectators came. We are a little disappointed, but we see that the potential is there. We introduced new things like the 3-point shooting contest, the dunk and the miss election. In addition to basketball fans, newcomers have arrived, such as boys who like to look at beautiful girls. In the third edition, artist shows were integrated, dance competitions took place with the election of miss and mister. New partners arrived, and people trusted us. Before reaching our current stage, we experienced many ups and downs, but our perseverance paid off in the end.
According to your observations, Smatchin is becoming a sport-business. What is the formula used to give it a national scope with such significant economic benefits for the organizers?
Smatchin is a sport-business, and there’s no shame in saying it. To go far, you need money and well-structured strategies. We don’t like to do things by halves, we give everything to ensure the sustainability of what we have undertaken. Our initial goal is to do business in sports, which is common outside. And young people must move in this direction. We want to show that with perseverance, partners arrive when you are serious and your actions meet their expectations.
How will you proceed to choose the students who benefit from the cooperation agreement which goes beyond the sports aspect to look at the student social aspect with Orange Madagascar?
The cooperation contract with Orange Madagascar lasts one year through the Orange Digital Center, which offers internships in other fields. The only criterion is that the student registers. There is a link to register on our “Smatchin” page. The training takes place depending on the number of participants, either by ten or by twenty…
For the tenth edition of Smatchin, will there be participation from the Malagasy diaspora or is it possible to internationalize Smatchin?
For the tenth edition, there will be no participation from the diaspora or other foreign clubs. It is an event dedicated to Malagasy students. Technically, we have not considered other teams outside of Madagascar, but later we will see if the opportunity presents itself, because an international dimension of the event is not a bad thing.
Smatchin is played in Antananarivo. Is it possible to decentralize the event outside the capital?
Relocating Smatchin outside of Antananarivo is very difficult, even unthinkable. For the preliminary rounds, yes. Here in Antananarivo, the Sports Palace is no longer enough to hold all the matches and especially the spectators. As a sports business, are there any venues bigger than the Palais des Sports?
And what will the eleventh edition of Smatchin be like?
We are trying to perpetuate Smatchin. The nine-day format will remain, but other formulas involving companies and other entities are in preparation for a long duration. And we will announce it at the appropriate time.
Donné Raherinjatovo