SA mobile operator MTN is muscling in on what traditionally has been rival Vodacom’s turf of rugby sponsorship.
The cellular operator, better known for its support of cricket and soccer, has signed on as the official title sponsor of Johannesburg’s Golden Lions rugby team.
Vodacom decided to cut back its sponsorship of rugby last year as a result, partly, of lower wholesale call termination rates that meant it had to cut costs.
It’s seen as likely, however, that Vodacom will continue to sponsor popular teams like Pretoria’s Blue Bulls.
MTN’s announcement on Thursday followed the purchase last October by Robert Gumede, chairman of JSE-listed technology group Gijima, and Ivor Ichikowitz, chairman of defence group Paramount, of 49,9% of the Golden Lions Rugby Union.
MTN’s sponsorship of the Lions will come as a welcome addition to the Johannesburg team. The team is widely expected to return to form in this year’s Super 15 and Currie Cup tournaments after several years of disappointing results.
“Rugby was the one sport missing in our arsenal of sports,” says MTN SA chief marketing officer Serame Taukabong.
“We chose the Lions because last year they really showed a resurgence in their ability,” he says.
Neither the rugby union nor MTN would disclose the value of the sponsorship. — Candice Jones, TechCentral
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