How Kenya is turning sports events into full-blown cultural festivals

On a breezy Saturday afternoon at Machakos Stadium, the crowd is electric. The teams are warming up, fans are chanting; Ndovu ni kuu, their favourite. Music booms through the speakers.

 DJ Juan, Tusker FC’s official match-day DJ, drops a bass-heavy mix that sends fans into a frenzy. It is not just a game anymore, it is a vibe, a full-blown cultural experience.

Welcome to the new era of sportainment the thrilling fusion of sports and entertainment that is transforming how fans consume, celebrate, and connect with their favourite teams and players. In Kenya, it is no longer enough to just play or perform; you have to entertain.

Kenya’s sports scene is undergoing a creative rebirth. Once, match days were purely about competition now they’re about spectacle.

Think football matches with live DJ sets, rugby sevens tournaments doubling as fashion runways, or marathons sound-tracked by top local acts.

Tusker FC was among the first local clubs to blur the line between pitch and party when they hired DJ Juan to handle in-stadium entertainment.

The result? Fans not only showed up to support the team but to experience the event. “Music sets the mood,” says DJ Juan. “When the crowd is vibing, the team feels it. It’s energy exchange.”

Similarly, at events like the Safari Rally or Rugby Sevens, halftime breaks are now full-fledged mini-concerts. Influencers take over social media, athletes post locker-room playlists, and local artistes headline pre-match performances.

Kenya is quietly building its own version of the Super Bowl halftime show; but with a distinctly African flavor.

Globally, sportainment has become a billion-dollar business. The global sports market is valued at approximately $417 billion as of 2025, projected to hit $602 billion by 2030.

Add to that the eSports explosion, where gaming tournaments draw millions of live viewers and it’s clear that fans now crave more than just scores and stats.

“Fans want to feel something,” says DJ Addis Ababa, a former Kenya Premier League footballer turned award-winning DJ who now hosts a sports and entertainment show on KTN.

“The modern fan doesn’t just want to watch a game, they want an experience. When I was playing, halftime was just a break. Now, it’s a show. It’s about music, emotion, and culture.”

Addis, who has lived both lives, athlete and entertainer, says the fusion is natural.

“Music has always been the heartbeat of sport. From locker-room jams to national anthems, it’s part of the rhythm. What’s new is how visible that connection has become. Today’s sports events are full productions, DJs, live acts, influencers, brand activations. It’s no longer just competition; it’s culture.”

This intersection is not only about hype; it is also about economics and opportunity. In sportainment, everyone eats: the athlete, the artist, and the brand.

For athletes, it’s a chance to expand their identity beyond the field. For artists, it’s access to massive live audiences. For brands, it is the sweet spot emotional storytelling wrapped in adrenaline.

“It’s a 360-degree experience,” says Addis. “You could have a footballer launching a fashion line or a DJ curating a playlist for a sports brand. That’s where the world is heading.”

Few global events capture the essence of sportainment like the Super Bowl halftime show. Since Michael Jackson’s iconic 1993 performance, where he transformed halftime into a global spectacle, the Super Bowl stage has hosted cultural giants; from Beyoncé to Usher.

Artistes are not even paid to perform at the Super Bowl yet they line up for the slot. Why? Exposure. In 2024, Usher saw a 550 per cent spike in Spotify streams after his halftime performance. The blend of music, sport, and showbiz generates massive global reach, brand deals, and prestige.

Closer to home, the TotalEnergies CHAN PAMOJA 2024 closing ceremony at Kasarani echoed that grandeur. Eddy Kenzo, Zuchu, and Savara delivered electrifying performances that turned the event into a continental spectacle.

The show ended with drama, Zuchu later claimed she had not been paid, but the bigger story was clear: African sports events are no longer just tournaments. They are stages for entertainment stars.

As entertainment publicist Gloria Adhiambo puts it; “The merging of sports and entertainment in Kenya tells a powerful story about youth culture one defined by creativity, confidence, and fearlessness.”

Indeed, today’s Kenyan youth see no boundaries between passions. A footballer might double as a TikTok comedian, a DJ might hype a marathon, and athletes are turning up at fashion events as style icons. “It’s a generation that views identity as fluid and opportunity as limitless,” Gloria explains.

Social media has become the glue of this transformation. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) have blurred the once-clear line between athlete and celebrity.

Every player is now a brand; every fan, a co-creator. Post-match interviews are replaced with Instagram Lives; locker-room moments become viral reels. The whistle does not end the game, it just starts the conversation online.

This evolution also means that sports and entertainment are no longer confined to physical venues. Livestreaming, gaming, and digital fan engagement have turned every screen into a stadium.

The eSports industry alone is projected to rival traditional sports leagues in viewership and revenue within the decade, with most profits coming from sponsorships, advertising, and digital content.

Kenyan event organisers have taken note. They are renovating not just arenas, but experiences. Think immersive halftime shows, VR fan zones, interactive mobile apps, and influencer partnerships. It is about turning every match into a memory, something to post, share, and relive.

Kenya’s Rugby Sevens, WRC Safari Rally, and Athletics circuits have become cultural hubs, blending fashion, food, music, and sport. They attract celebrities, influencers, and fans from all walks of life, a melting pot of culture and competition.

At last year’s Safari Rally, the afterparties rivaled the races, with artistes sharing the same spotlight as rally drivers. Meanwhile, athletics events like the Nairobi City Marathon are turning into festivals, with DJs and live acts performing before, during and after the main event.

In short, ‘sportainment’ is redefining what it means to attend a game it’s no longer about who wins, but what you experience.

So, what is next for Kenya’s ‘sportainment’ scene? According to DJ Addis, the country is just scratching the surface.

 “Kenya has world-class athletes and incredible entertainers. Once we start collaborating intentionally, we’ll have something global.”

Adhiambo agrees. “Kenya’s ‘sportainment’ evolution is about more than entertainment, it is about national identity. We’re learning to celebrate our creativity as much as our competition.”

The industry’s future will likely see deeper collaborations between sports bodies, musicians, and brands. Imagine halftime shows produced by Sauti Sol, athlete-led YouTube channels sponsored by fashion houses, or esports tournaments hosted by Kenyan artistes.

At its core, ‘sportainment’ is not just about lights, music, or performance it is about connection. It is about uniting fans, players, and performers in shared emotion. The stadium is no longer just a place of victory and defeat it is a cultural arena.

Kenya’s young, vibrant, and digitally savvy population has embraced this shift wholeheartedly. Whether it is a football match turned mini-concert or a DJ hyping up a race, the message is clear: the lines between sports and showbiz have officially blurred.

In this new era, the athlete is an entertainer, the entertainer a fan, and the fan; part of the show.