South African Tourism’s (SAT) highly talked about R1 billion deal to sponsor Tottenham Hotspur will now be discussed with President Cyril Ramaphosa after sparking an uproar across the country.
A provisional three-year contract has been signed between SAT and Spurs; and should all go according to plan, it will begin at the start of the 2023/24 football season in August this year.
The deal will include kit sponsorship, interview background branding, matchday advertisement, training camps in South Africa as well as partnership announcements.
For all to go ahead, though, Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu will first have to meet with Ramaphosa this week.
The president said on 3 February that he did not think “spending so much money in the manner that is being suggested” will be justified.
However, according to BBC, Themba Khumalo, acting Chief Executive of SAT believes the deal will bring a vast number of tourists into the country. This is given the large following of the Premier League, in turn providing a good return on the investment.
Minister Sisulu’s spokesperson said the announcement on the matter would be made following the meeting with Ramaphosa.
“The board fully briefed her (Sisulu) on the deal on Saturday. The next step now is to inform the president. She will be meeting the president in the next few days, following which an announcement will be made,” spokesperson Steve Motale told News24.
Image source: @spursofficial
