MTN gets in on rugby sponsorship

An exciting new sponsorship deal that promises to inject a renewed sense of energy, excitement and fans into the national sport of rugby, was officially announced at the MTN head office in Johannesburg today (20 January).

MTN South Africa is partnering with the Golden Lions as the team’s main sponsor in what is believed to be one of the country’s most exciting sponsorship deals in years. The sponsorship will rejuvenate the game of rugby, drive involvement from the Lions supporters’ base and focus on player development. The initial deal is for a three-year period with the option to renew.

Speaking at the launch, MTN chief marketing officer Serame Taukobong stated that MTN had been waiting for the right partner with the right vision and shared objectives before stepping into the unchartered territory of rugby sponsorship.

“Both the sport of rugby and the Golden Lions are going through an exciting metamorphosis and as MTN, we are delighted to be integrally involved in this positive change,” said Taukobong.

“This sponsorship deal is the next step in the delivery of our promise to transform the game of rugby in South Africa. It is our intention to bring a new energy into the game from this season, through a combination of talented players, loyal supporters and top-class ‘sport-entertainment’,” stated Robert Gumede, chairman of the Lions.

“Every Lions game will become an event in itself, and will deliver much more than just 80-minutes of top-class rugby. Our partnership with MTN will enable us to deliver on this strategy and achieve success.”

Kevin de Klerk, president of the GLRU, stated: “The cutting-edge technology that MTN brings to the playing field through its innovative mobile platforms will enable us to communicate more effectively with our stakeholders and supporter base alike, in an interactive and experiential environment. This provides greater value to the supporter experience, enabling us to drive growth and becoming more accessible to a much broader fan base.”

Since its launch in 1994, MTN has placed a strong focus on connecting and developing communities, and sport is a cornerstone of this development. As the leader of mobile operations in developing markets, the company has always sought to invest in areas that celebrate the diversity of people, with the opportunity of unifying those communities using a common thread – in this case, rugby.



“The partnership is perfect for us, as our focus at MTN has always been on development. With our partners the Golden Lions, we are repackaging rugby this season into a channel of experiences to attract a wide cross-section of fans, some of whom have not followed this sport in the past,” said Taukobong.

The Golden Lions, under New Zealand coach John Mitchell is working hard to awaken the pride within its thousands of loyal fans, become a more professional unit and regain its status as the rugby powerhouse, not only in Johannesburg but across South Africa at large.

“When we made this investment step change to create a new business model for the future of rugby in SA, our aim was to drive and develop this franchise at every level. All of us want to see the Lions team make a strong comeback to regain its rightful title as leaders of the pack once again,” said Gumede.

“This initial three-year MTN contract will enable the union to continue attracting some of the best local rugby talent. 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.
“With MTN on board as our partners at GLRU, I am confident that we will achieve and even surpass our initial goals,” concluded Gumede.

A common driver for both MTN and the new owners of the Lions is the nation-building ability of the game through a focused investment in the development of the sport at the grassroots level.

“MTN has the network to connect people and communities. With this new partnership, the Lions supporters’ base will enjoy a closer relationship with MTN as we create a Lions Ayoba culture. Together, we are looking to broaden the existing boundaries of the game and, through our technology, to expose a much wider audience to the thrilling sport of rugby as both spectators and participants,” explained Taukobong.

During the launch event, the new players’ kit featuring the MTN logo was revealed and shown off by some of the Lions team members.