By Dawn Tay

SINGAPORE needs to step up its marketing drive for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

Having more sponsors will greatly enhance the hosting of the Games, said Mr Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

"We're not lacking in sponsorship offers, but we're cautiously looking at how much more can be drawn from the private sector."

While the Games' organising committee remains confident of hitting the $50 million sponsorship target, Mr Teo wants to cast the net wider and approach different global, regional and local GLCs and SMEs.

The target is on top of the Government's $100 million budget for hosting the YOG, but Mr Teo gave the assurance that the Games will not be shortchanged should they fail to meet it.

He said: "More sponsors will greatly enhance the running of the Games, just like how billions of dollars from China's private- sector sponsors helped run the Beijing Olympics." Yesterday, Mr Teo also highlighted the need to tweak the Republic's sports calendar, in order to market the nation's capabilities as a sports hub.

He said: "We need to identify international events that draw the crowds, and also create our own local events with potential for international attraction.

"One example would be the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. Could it become the next Boston or London Marathon"

"We have to figure out what is lacking in our sports calendar - where the gaps are - in order to enhance Singapore as a sporting hub." The Rugby World Club Challenge, to be held next July at the Padang, has the potential to draw in plenty of overseas fans.

Organised by event-management company The Amici Group and the Singapore Cricket Club, it features four professional 15-a-side teams from England, Australia and France.

Famous players coming include England captain Census Johnston, and Australians Nathan Sharpe and Drew Mitchell.

In an attempt to fill the void in Singapore's international rugby scene left by the loss of the International Rugby Board Sevens Series, organisers hope that this tournament will be a stepping stone to bigger things for Singapore rugby.

SaidMr Phil Greening, director of The Amici Group: "In addition to raising Singapore's profile as a world sporting hub, we hope to make Singapore a stopover for world-class rugby teams like England and Australia."

Young Singapore rugby players will also benefit, with coaching clinics and a Junior World Club Challenge involving youth from Singapore and Malaysia.

For more my paper stories click here.