Volkswagen SA has announced a R660 000 sponsorship of the Duckpond pavilion at St George’s Park cricket ground in Port Elizabeth. VW is the second manufacturer to make a major contribution to a sports team in the past three weeks…
Volkswagen SA has announced a R660 000 sponsorship of the Duckpond pavilion at St George’s Park cricket ground in Port Elizabeth.
The three-year sponsorship will not only provide VWSA exposure at the historic venue ahead of the second Test match between SA and India on Friday, but will boost cricket development in Uitenhage.
The Uitenhage-based manufacturer, in partnership with the Eastern Province Cricket Board, will help the Etolofiyeni Cricket Club establish a home ground. Etolofiyeni’s members hail from Uitenhage’s Kwa-Nobuhle township and the club is in its first season as an affiliate of the EP Cricket Board.
This is the second major sports sponsorship from a local motor manufacturer in the past three weeks. Nissan SA and top Premier League soccer team Kaizer Chiefs have signed a three-year deal providing the club, players and officials with Nissan Primeras, Almeras, Sentras and one-ton Nissan Hardbody bakkies on a rotational basis.
"It is important that VWSA invest back into the community where we are based," said the company’s sales and marketing general manager, Bill Stephens.
"We have had partnerships with three of the national sporting codes – namely rugby, soccer and the Olympic movement,” said Stephens. "But this is our first significant sport sponsorship in our home territory, and what better venue to get involved with than the headquarters of Eastern Province cricket, at one of South Africa’s historic Test venues.
"We are also excited about the opportunity that this sponsorship presents through its strong development angle and the contribution that we can make in raising the standard of cricket in Uitenhage," he added.
Eastern Province Cricket Board chairman Ronnie Pillay said that the province was “very proud to be associated with the biggest private sector employer in the Eastern Cape”.