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The most-watched sports league in the world – the English Premier League – has an average global audience of 12.3 million people for every game played. You’d be hard pressed to walk down a South African street without seeing at least one Liverpool or Manchester United jersey being sported by a fan.
As a deeply, proudly African group, Sanlam believes that the beautiful game should be enjoyed by all – it should not be available only to those with the means to afford satellite TV. It should not be financially exclusive. Our purpose is rooted in a philosophy of inclusivity, which is why ‘democratising’ the EPL by sponsoring it on SABC1 in 2023 was an easy call for us.
We know that sport brings people together. It inspires our young people to dream and imagine a bigger life for themselves. It instils the skills that support a life of confidence on and off the field. That’s why we want South African families to have equal access to watching their favourite teams live. Football is a passion-point for our people, and we share in our people’s passion. So, let’s ensure everyone can see all the action as it happens, for free.
Football has long been a sport close to Sanlam’s heart. We’ve invested in the Kay Motsepe School’s Cup sponsored by the Sanlam Foundation, the Motsepe Foundation & Ubuntu Botho Community Development Trust for 13 years, to help develop soccer skills in vulnerable young people. We have distributed 10 000 footballs to hundreds of schools across the continent, because we believe that schools are fertile ground for bolstering Africa’s young football talent. We also partnered with José Mourinho to launch our brand promise to empower Africans to live with confidence.
We’ve seen first-hand how football inspires our young people. It ignites their passion and teaches them invaluable skills, from endurance and teamwork to negotiation and leadership. Ensuring that SABC1 had the financial means to broadcast the Premier League for another year will let our children see their heroes at home. We hope this inspires them to dream big and live confidently. Africa is a place of tremendous sporting potential. We have some of the most gifted young people on earth. Let’s show them the best, so they can bring their best.
In addition to sponsoring the broadcast of 19 matches we’re also launching our Strike with Confidence campaign, to give fans the chance to win big with weekly prizes, plus an exclusive Premier League private viewing experience and a grand prize of a VIP live Premier League experience in the UK worth R100 000. We want to achieve engagement with our soccer fans through the campaign, which aims to introduce them to Sanlam, but also allows them to engage thousands of other soccer fans in South Africa. Fans can access the Sanlam Premiere League App by visiting strikewithconfidence.sanlam.co.za, to play games, earn coins and spend them on airtime, shirts, exclusive events and more.
We are proud to be helping to bring the Premier League to all South Africans. Personally, I’m a huge Chelsea fan, so I look forward to watching all the games at home. A big part of the Premier League is the banter! There’s nothing like friendly rivalry to bring us all together over the braai. And that’s also what this is about. Sport brings us relief from tough times. It’s a way for us to get swept up in the skill and thrill of the world’s best players as they battle for podium position. Will Manchester City keep its crown? I can’t wait to find out.
To find out more visit: strikewithconfidence.sanlam.co.za
- 13 May 16:00 Manchester United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
- 20 May 16:00 TBC vs TBC
- 28 May 16:00 TBC vs TBC
This post was sponsored by Sanlam and produced by Karl Socikwa, Group Executive of Market Development & Sustainability at Sanlam.
