SA Rugby has announced that MTN has renewed its headline sponsorship of the Springboks and will be the principal partner for the upcoming Lions series.
The renewal was negotiated for a five-year period and extends into 2025, supporting the ongoing effort to enhance rugby development and transformation in South Africa.
MTN took over as Springbok headline sponsor prior to the 2017 international season, a period during which both embarked on a journey of transformation that culminated in the Springboks becoming word champions in 2019.
‘Confirming the renewal of our partnership with MTN is massive for SA Rugby and we are thrilled to continue on this road with them,’ said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.
‘When we named MTN as our new headline sponsor four years ago, we realised that it represented a pivotal moment for SA Rugby and that welcoming a company of MTN’s size and reach was a significant moment for the sport.
‘They have been a wonderfully supportive partner during a time of regeneration for the Springboks and the wider South African rugby fraternity, and have stuck with us through the pandemic. We are excited to continue to have MTN by our side.
‘For MTN, it was never only about having their logo on the front of the Springboks’ jerseys. They wanted a powerful partnership and that is exactly what we have established in the past four years.
‘When they came on board, rugby was in a precarious position, but they understood where we were headed and what we wanted to achieve, to inspire the nation, and as one of South Africa’s success stories in the last three decades, MTN fully supported us in that.’
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Mapula Bodibe, chief consumer officer of MTN SA, said: ‘We found it fitting to continue to back the Springboks following a very successful period during which they became the World Champions, warming the hearts of our nation.
‘MTN has been a long-time supporter of South African sport and the renewal of our sponsorship of the Springboks further entrenches our position as an ardent supporter of South Africa’s sporting ambitions.
‘Sports fans have had to endure a frustrating year. Teams and their supporters were left with very little to cheer about due to Covid-19, but we are finally getting to the stage where our team is preparing to take the field again and unite our nation as only they can.
‘We are delighted to renew our headline sponsorship just ahead of the important Lions tour in July, providing the Springboks and South African rugby with the necessary support to grow well into the future, while also offering our fans great digital platforms to enjoy their love of the game, especially as they can’t be in the stadiums,’ she added.
MTN also announced that fans can look forward to being rewarded over the coming months with plenty of unique experiences, exciting new prizes and competitions, including a daily mobile Bok Trivia quiz in which MTN customers can test their Springbok rugby knowledge and stand a chance to win R100,000 every week.
‘To celebrate the sponsorship and to bring the joy of rugby back for supporters, lifting spirits where we can, a total of R50 million in prizes will be given away over the next few months across different MTN platforms,’ explained Bodibe.
‘At MTN we believe in transforming realities and we are committed to this purpose, just as we are committed to supporting the Boks over the next five years.’
Photo: Gallo Images
