LUSAKA -The Independence Rugby Challenge Tournament co-sponsored by the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) and Atlas Mara was a success by all standards save a few hiccups here and there. This include: inadequate availability of food and drinks for the fans and the lack of a VIP section bar. However the technical aspects of the games, tournament format and flow was seemingly flawless according to reviews by several respected rugby bloggers, writers and critics alike.
Zambia Air Force who are the sponsors of Red Arrows rugby club have acknowledged the massive contribution that their sponsorship partner Atlas Mara made towards the tournament. This totaled circa. K60,000 in both cash and material support.
The tournament had a digital scoreboard
Key highlights of this tournament set up were availability of a digital scoreboard (made available by Atlas Mara) as this kept the fans informed of results during various stages in the tournament.
It is not unusual to attend a rugby tournament locally and not have any idea of tournament statistics. This include ‘what stage the tournament is at’ or ‘who is playing’. Before you know it, your favorite team is taking an early shower after being knocked out or worse still to just find out the final game is being played.
On point advertising
It was a pleasure for the first time in Zambia to see a rugby advert on the Billboards across the city courtesy of Atlas Mara. This unprecedented form of advertising of the Independence Rugby Challenge Tournament was not in vain as the results were evident enough. This was measured by the immense fan turnout despite the advert only being run for about three (03) days proving that advertising is key to grow the game to new fans. Nonetheless we can also infer that the digital adverts were as effective.
Atlas Mara sponsorship package
Atlas Mara earlier this year gave Red Arrows rugby club a sponsorship package of about K100,000 in cash and (03) sets of rugby kit for the team. Atlas Mara sponsored several replica shirts which were sold to the Red Arrows fans. This kind of sponsorship is great for the sport and the gesture of this corporate social responsibility is indeed humbling for a sport which has seen dwindling involvement by various corporates.
It also shows the confidence that the sponsors have in the sport and it is our hope that in 2019, Atlas Mara will consider even doing more for the sport hopefully even beyond Red Arrows team and better yet even use the local sports company Fortress Sportswear for design and manufacture of club kit.
Next year will be a big rugby year for Zambia and world as apart from 2019 Rugby World Cup being held this year in Japan, Zambia will play in the Africa gold group comprising the top eight (08) teams in Africa which include Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
Maximisation of corporate sponsorship in readiness for the World Cup
This means that we will see these high quality teams play on our home soil and therefore the Zambia Rugby Union (ZRU) will need to maximize all the sponsorship they can get to provide high quality tournaments of international standard. The Rugby World Cup offers an opportunity to free ride on the advertising which will be available across the various platforms across the globe to market the game within Zambia as well. We can only hope that Nkoloma stadium will be given the honor to host its first international rugby game which would be historic for this neat stadium. The race just got bigger and fiercer and we therefore need all the big boys in town to support rugby in Zambia.
A call for potential future partnerships
It is our hope that in partnership with the so many potential sponsors in the country such as Mopani and other sponsors pooled by RG Sports Management Company such as Isuzu, Paratus, Kwese, Zambeef, Whindhoek breweries etc. So much can be achieved next year in Zambian rugby.
We thank Atlas Mara for the support given to the sport of rugby and all the rugby fans should know the Bank to support. Let’s reciprocate this gesture whatever it takes
******by Gilbert Sinkamba***********
