Huawei has announced its partnership with local soccer team Ajax Cape Town as the team’s official shirt sponsor for the current Premier Soccer League season.
This is the first sport sponsorship deal by the technology company in South Africa and marks the beginning of what is expected to be continued support in the local market.
Ajax Cape Town joins football giants Ajax Amsterdam (Holland), Atletico Madrid (Spain), PSG (France), Arsenal (England), AC Milan (Italy), Borussia Dortmund and Schalke (Germany) as official soccer partners of Huawei.
“We are putting our full support behind Ajax Cape Town which represents the same values of Huawei and intends to capture the spirit of making things possible,” says Wilson Liu, GM of Huawei South Africa.
“This is our first, but certainly not last, venture into sports sponsorship in the country. Many sports are recognised as being important to South African culture, and we want to show our commitment to the country through ongoing activities targeted at this audience.”
Ajax Cape Town CEO Ari Efstathiou, comments: “The philosophies of both companies are exceptionally similar as they are innovative, fresh in their marketing approach and focused towards the younger generation.
“Ajax Cape Town is the first African Club to wear the Huawei Logo on its shirt and joins international football giants that have recently signed sponsorship agreements with Huawei. Once again Ajax Cape Town is the ‘first’ to partner with an internationally acclaimed brand.”
The value of the one-year deal has not been disclosed, although it is of a magnitude commensurate with sponsorships of this nature. Huawei reserves the right to renew its shirt sponsorship upon conclusion of this first year.
In line with the Huawei “Make It Possible” slogan; the sponsorship will be introducing promotions and competitions that will enable Ajax Cape Town to embody the statement.
“We will be leveraging our technology to bring fans closer to the team through content and use of digital platforms that reflect our capabilities and fans’ desires,” Huang adds.
The club will also benefit from both technology and financial resources that will enable it to further invest in players and structures to make even more possible.
“We have no doubt that this relationship will be extremely beneficial to both companies,” says Efstathiou. “Ajax Cape Town is a very ambitious young brand and will benefit from Huawei’s international expertise. In return Huawei can take advantage of Ajax Cape Town’s growing reputation as the team with which the youth mostly want to be associated.”
