"As part of the deals, the Rams and Clippers each will promote tourism to the tiny East African country. "Visit Rwanda" -- the marketing slogan for the Rwanda Development Board -- will be the exclusive jersey patch for the Clippers, while "Visit Rwanda" will be advertised in the Rams' home, SoFi Stadium."
"Last year, ESPN published a report detailing how the NBA's relationship with the Rwanda government and President Paul Kagame was central to its expansion in Africa -- even as the league looked past human rights abuses far worse than those it and its players actively oppose in the United States. The abuses include reports of imprisonment, torture and murder of political opponents, as well as the funding of child soldiers in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo."
The Los Angeles Rams and LA Clippers entered multiyear sponsorships with the Rwandan government to promote tourism under the "Visit Rwanda" campaign, including a Clippers jersey patch and Rams stadium advertising. The Rwanda Development Board described the contracts as multiyear but provided no financial or duration specifics. Rwanda already maintains a lucrative deal with Arsenal reportedly worth at least $12 million per year. Past reporting linked major U.S. sports leagues' relationships with Rwanda to broader expansion strategies in Africa despite documented allegations of imprisonment, torture, murder of political opponents, and support for child soldiers in the region. League and team statements noted policy compliance and that the sponsorships were disclosed to leagues.
Read at ESPN.com
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