MTN PLEDGES CONTINUED SUPPORT

EZULWINI – They will continue supporting local premier league football in years to come.

That was an honest pledge given by Eswatini MTN Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wandile Mtshali to local football followers during the launch of this season’s MTN Premier League E6 million sponsorship at the Convention Centre in Ezulwini yesterday morning.

He was addressing invited guests including the Eswatini Football Association (EFA), Premier League of Eswatini (PLE), Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council and Minister of Sport, Culture and Youth Affairs Harries ‘Madze’Bulunga among others during the launch of the last E6 million sponsorship for the premier division. 

negotiate

This is the last of the E18 million sponsorship for the league announced in 2011 and spread over three years. This now means the parties involved would have to go back to the round table and negotiate a new package, as stipulated in their contract of engagement.

“As we announce the start of the 2020/21 MTN Premier League season, we are proud to be the primary supporter of sport in the kingdom. The season we are launching today is the last E6 million sponsorship of our three-year E18 million sponsorship package which ran from 2018 to 2021. As we do so, we acknowledge that the year we are about to close was a difficult year for most of our sponsorship properties. And soccer is one of the properties that were negatively affected by Covid-19,” he said.

Mtshali further said they were aware that under the COVID-19 regulations, gatherings were banned, so were crowds in soccer stadiums.

assure

“However, as a title sponsor, we are here to assure you that we remain committed to support soccer in the coming year, in line with our initial announcement. Given that the COVID-19 era is new to all of us, we are open to engaging with the Premier League of Eswatini and learning how to make the best out of this complex and unprecedented situation. MTN commits to embrace all precautionary measures to ensure that our fans, who are also our valued customers, remain safe,” he added.

He further declared that as a company, they had confidence in the football structures, from the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) to the grassroots level. Mtshali added that as a company driven by excellence across the board, they were also appealing to all soccer stakeholders, particularly leadership, to strive for excellence in execution of the league. 

“In our pursuit of excellence, I challenge you to protect the sponsor from undue attacks. MTN is aware that all teams have public relations officers, who must be supported in outlining the net value that MTN’s contribution to sports brings, including the economic activities it stimulates. Such conversations will contribute towards brand visibility and mileage for MTN. Let us keep in touch at every step of the way. I give you my word that the team at MTN is ready to engage with all key stakeholders, so we make the best out of this situation,” the CEO assured strongly.

gratitude

PLE Chairman Mark Carmichael, speaking through executive committee member Charles Matsebula, extended their profound gratitude to the professionalism and welcoming nature that MTN has maintained throughout the three years. 

“We are optimistic that this partnership will continue for a further twenty years. This season has placed us in the deep end and we have been called upon to immediately explore ways of ensuring that football fans who were used to watching their respective teams are not left out of the action. I am confident that the mutual and collaborative effort between MTN Eswatini and the league will produce the desired results,” the Denver Sundowns’ boss said.

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