By: Mandisa Magwaza

KwaZulu-Natal rugby franchise The Sharks has proudly announced on Thursday that Cell C will become their new title sponsor, effectively from January next year.

“This partnership brings together two iconic South African brands who share similar values and pioneering spirit,” says Sharks CEO John Smit.

Mr Price was previously the title sponsor of the Sharks and most people have familiarized themselves with the two brands as one. “When I walk into Mr Price Sport the first thing I see displayed is The Sharks in and around the shop, the two make sense together and for me I feel that Cell C doesn’t fit in”, said rugby supporter Tamryn Honneysette.

Over the last year, Cell C has been involved in the development of rugby around the country. “This deal is the next big step for the company,” said Cell C Chief Commercial Officer, Jose Dos Santos. He added that they couldn’t have found a better franchise to be aligned with than the Sharks, “with tenacity and spirit, their ethos and drive mimics our company”.

New Sharks logo. Picture by: The Sharks Rugby

According to the Sharks press statement released on Thursday, this sponsorship will see the Cell C brand emblazoned on the playing kit of the Sharks Professional Teams, the KwaZulu-Natal Amateur and Schools teams as well as the Sharks Academy. “Our new title sponsor has also acquired naming rights for the Sharks professional teams, therefore from January 2014, the Sharks teams will be known as the Cell C Sharks,” said Smit.

The sponsorship doesn’t only come with a change of name and kit, Smit said that sponsorships like this will help them retain the services of top players.

Supporters may be concerned about things such as the kit and the name change but their main concern is the performance of the team.

The Sharks assured supporters that this partnership will ensure that they continue to be a formidable team and will continue to push the envelope in terms of innovation.