Raiders Rugby Club, the first team based in a historically disadvantaged community to be promoted to the Premier League of the Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU), launched its new logo and colours at a function held yesterday evening at the Johannesburg Hyatt Hotel.
Danie Malan, Marketing Executive of Raiders, says the new logo will help to develop and sell the Raiders brand. "It is no secret that it is our aim to make Raiders the strongest and most recognisable rugby team in the country," he says, "just as brands such as Nike and Mercedes are instantly recognisable, even when you don`t see the name."
The team was previously known as the Transvaal Independent Rugby Football Union (TIRFU) Raiders, but henceforth it will simply be called the Raiders. Arivia.kom CEO Zeth Malele says the sponsorship is in line with the company`s vision of becoming the dominant ICT solution provider in Africa. "A winning company can only benefit through association with and investment in a champion rugby team which is, like arivia.kom, making a major impact on transformation in SA."
Leon Deist, Market Development Executive of arivia.kom, notes: "The new logo, the head of a stallion with a flowing mane, is indicative of the team`s fighting spirit and resilience. We aim to boost the team`s image and increase the support base of the club through its performance and profile."
Winning league performances in 2000, 2001 and 2002 culminated in the Senior Grand Challenge League championship, and Raiders` promotion to the GLRU`s top league, the Pirates Grand Challenge. This is the first time that a team of colour has participated in this select league.
Raiders play an important role in the local community by providing an opportunity for sport and career development of rugby players in the area, especially those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. Several school tournaments have been staged and some 400 primary and high school students receive rugby coaching at the Bill Jardine Stadium, home of Raiders.
Following the formation of the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) in 1992 (when the South African Rugby Board united with the South African Rugby Union), most of the clubs united to form the TIRFU Rugby Football Club and competed in the league under the GLRU. TIRFU is therefore one of the oldest rugby institutions in SA and continues to provide an opportunity for the development of rugby players in the Gauteng region, especially those from the historically disadvantaged communities. Several Raiders players have attained distinction in the GLRU and have been awarded Springbok blazers by SARFU.
Deist says Bosmont-based Raiders was a logical choice for sponsorship, given that arivia.kom wished to be involved in sports development, in addition to other corporate social investment (CSI) projects such as health, education and culture.
The association with the team began through Datavia, one of three entities now merged to form arivia.kom. "Arivia.kom continued this sponsorship given the sterling work done by Raiders in its community and its status as a team from a disadvantaged community that remained non-racial throughout its long history and today plays in the Premier League."
Malan says two years ago the decision was made to manage the club in a professional manner and to ensure it became competitive. "Instead of asking for donations, we structured the marketing in such a way that it was done professionally and we could sell the naming and branding rights.
"Arivia.kom was impressed with the way we structured the rights and became the naming sponsor. Through its senior partnership in the club, Raiders has become the first rugby club from a disadvantaged background to move into the Premier League of the GLRU. It is a real sports development success story.
"Today the club is well established, with a proud history. It plays a major role in the GLRU. The chairman was elected as vice-president of the GLRU, and another Raiders member was co-opted onto the GLRU committee."
Malan says the sponsorship contract is for three years, from 2003 to 2005. "In addition to financial assistance, arivia.kom gives us a lot of `in kind` assistance. This allows it to leverage its sponsorship through branding at the stadium, for instance."
Deist adds: "The sponsorship is aimed at improving club facilities and administration, the funding of the training, equipment and rugby kits of the players, Web site support and assisting the development projects of the club. This latter project includes the running of rugby tournaments for high and primary school pupils in the neighbourhood."
Raiders` plans include upgrading its facilities and encouraging the community to use the facilities for rugby and soccer, in an effort to live up to its slogan, "Producing the Springboks of tomorrow".
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