English Premier League kick-off
For the official South African launch, former Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder Michael Essien made his appearance.
Most arguably some of the biggest football leagues in the world and well known in South Africa are the English Premier League (EPL) and the Spanish La Liga.
These leagues have an enormous following in the country and together with one of the most prominent global beer brands, Budweiser, it will form a formidable partnership.
A major multi-year sponsorship has been announced recently with the EPL and La Liga for the 2019/20 season. The main focus of this sponsorship is to bring fans in over 20 countries, which includes South Africa, closer to their international football heroes. An objective set to be achieved through a series of unique and enthralling fan-engagement programmes.
Furthermore, the brand boasts deep roots within global football, as verified by their historical sponsorship of the Fifa World Cup and, recently, the highly contested English FA Cup.
For the official South African launch, former Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder Michael Essien, along with renowned South African football players Kagisho Dikgacoi, Aaron Mokoena, Tokelo Rantie, Nasief Morris and Tsepo Masilela, endorsed the sponsorship through the Be A King campaign. And as they all plied their trades in both leagues during the course of their careers, they shared their experiences and allowed for deeper insight into both leagues respectively.
Budweiser SA marketing manager Thomas Lawrence said: “Budweiser has a strong and enduring legacy within the world of sport, specifically football, and we look forward to connecting South African football enthusiasts to the EPL and La Liga. Football fans are challenged to be “Kings” in every aspect of their lives and this will be realised through their interactions with the various “Kings” of football across the globe, starting right here at home with the likes of Aaron Mokoena, Bafana Bafana World Cup captain, Kagisho Dikgacoi and Nasief Morris, while also highlighting other passion points closely related to our brand, such as fashion, music and much more.”
Gracing the South African shores with his presence, Essien said: “Football is a language that is celebrated across the globe. It is exciting that an international brand as big as Budweiser is connecting South African fans to a league many only experience from afar. Football fans celebrate like kings and it is wonderful that they are given this platform to reach their true potential as rulers of the game.”
The 2019-20 La Liga season, also known as La Liga Santander, is scheduled for August 17 to May 24, 2020, while, the EPL’s 2019/20 season starts on August 9.
