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Massive windfall for Safa
27/08/2007 15:40 - (SA)
Johannesburg - A much-needed windfall to bolster Bafana Bafana and other national team entities before the 2010 Soccer World Cup and beyond was announced on Monday when Absa and SAB's Castle Lager revealed a joint sponsorship deal that will be worth R500m to Safa over the next five years.
What was described in a release by the joint benefactors as "South Africa's largest-ever sponsorship deal" was eagerly latched on by the marketers present at an appropriate Constitution Hill function in Johannesburg as "the new ABC of South African soccer - A for Absa, B for Bafana and C for Castle."
But while Safa president Molefi Oliphant hailed the partnership as "timely and momentous", he also revealed his scholarly background while declaring that history had demonstrated great triumvirates invariably come a cropper in the end - hastily assuring those present he had every confidence the current one in question would not succumb to a similar fate.
Oliphant also gave the assurance that the monies received would be utilised for all national teams and not only Bafana "because you can't build an imposing pyramid without a solid foundation as its base" - and, in this respect, development at grassroots level would not be overlooked either.
Asked if anyone at Safa would benefit financially from either the extension of SAB's existing sponsorship or the acquisition of Absa's backing - a question, no doubt, posed by the embarrassing disclosures that five officials are set to benefit by what has been described as an obscene R150m from the PSL's recent TV deal with SuperSport - CEO Raymond Hack replied: "no one at all to my knowledge."
Commitment
"SAB, through Castle Lager, has supported and invested in South African soccer through all its highs and lows for almost 50 years," said Ian Penhale, the marketing director of SAB, "and after Safa's readmission to Fifa in 1992, it was only logical to sponsor the national team.
"Now," he added, "with the World Cup on the horizon it seemed only logical to up our commitment significantly for the coming historic chapter."
Penhale, however, echoed a widespread view that the overall success of the 2010 World Cup would depend a great deal on the performance of Bafana in what he termed the world's greatest sporting tournament - and SAB's investment is clearly aimed at assisting in this respect.
Present at the release was the nucleus of the 1996 Bafana team that achieved South Africa's most notable international soccer success by annexing the African Nations Cup, with Mark Fish delivering an inspirational address on behalf of the likes of captain Neil Tovey, David Nyathi, Andre Arendse, Shaun Bartlett, Doctor Khumalo, Mark Williams and others that aptly demonstrated the kind of character also needed in 2010.
"The partnership of two of South Africa's major brands," said Dr Steve Booysen, Absa's chief executive, "unthinkable 40 years ago, heralds a new era for South African soccer."
- SAPA
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