MTN steps up to revive Golden Lions, sponsors them for 3 years
Golden Lions have secured a new title sponsor on a 3 year contract with a cellular company. The conjecture about MTN being the new sponsor of the Lions’ Super Rugby team came to an end today when the cellular company affirmed that it had signed a title sponsorship
contract with the Johannesburg franchise. SA mobile service MTN has muscled on its traditional rival Vodacom for the rugby sponsorship.
Vodacom settled on cutting back its sponsorship for Lions last year, when wholesale call termination rates were subordinated to cut the costs. It seems like Vodacom will continue with sponsorship deals with popular teams like Pretoria’s Blue Bulls.
The officials have not yet uncovered the value of sponsorship, but its assumed to be around 20 million dollars a year for the coming three years. MTN came into rugby sponsorship after a gap of 13 years; their last sponsor was for Falcons team in East Rand.
Robert Gumede, the chairman of Lions said, “This initial three-year MTN contract will enable the union to continue attracting some of the best local rugby talent.” In South Africa rugby is sponsored by other cellular companies as well and have attracted
foreign based South African players to come back to their country.
Gumede added, “We will also be in a position to bring back a number of South African foreign-based players to play for a professional and transformed team, and make them available for Springbok selection.”
Sponsorship from MTN is a welcome addition to the team. The squad is extensively projected to return to gather again for this year’s Currie Cup and Super 15 tournaments, after several years of substandard results. Neither MTN nor rugby union is expected
to reveal the value of sponsorship.
This step is considered a positive note for the club and MTN chief marketing believes that Lions is the right partner they were looking for. He stated, “Both the sport of rugby and the Golden Lions are going through an exciting transformation and as MTN,
we are pleased to be integrally involved in this positive change.”
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