Safari Sevens scores a first in wooing major sponsors

When Safaricom finally dialled the Kenya Rugby Union to signal its entry to the Safari Sevens, sports sponsorship got a new meaning.

For the national sevens team was already under Kenya Airway’s wings.
Then came SuperSport with its live coverage of the Bamburi Super Series and, consequently, the Safari Sevens. The Sevens was beamed live across the continent to close to 3 million viewers.

The leading mobile telephone provider forked out Ksh25m (about $320,512) for the just ended Safari Sevens. A similar amount will be made available each year in a three-year deal that will also see the sponsorship increased by a certain percentage.

In addition, Safaricom, through its foundation, ploughed Ksh13m ($167,000 ) for the construction of a modular 1,500 seater that gave the Rugby Football Union of East Africa grounds a new look at the Safari Sevens.
In return, the KRU has committed 10 per cent of the gate collection proceeds to developing community rugby.
Kenya Airways, on its part bettered the nation’s Sevens team sponsorship by half from the team’s previous sponsor, Virgin Airlines.
They provided Sh15m (about $200,000) for the just concluded International Rugby Board (IRB) World Sevens season. The “Pride of Africa” has committed a similar amount for the next season in the two-year package.
The airline was also one of the many companies that boosted the Safari Sevens kitty with Ksh1.5m ($20,000).
Besides parting with Ksh1m ($12,820) for the Safari Sevens, AoN Minet have fully insured both the Sevens and the 15s rugby team players.

Innscor (Galitos), UAP Insurance, Microsoft Kenya and Kenya Power and Lighting Company are yet other companies that sponsored the Sevens.

These companies were the ultimate beneficiaries of SuperSport’s live broadcast that saw their brands beamed across the continent.

Safaricom came on board towards the end of last year, taking over from East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL), who terminated their three-year sponsorship of the tournament, ending their 12 years as title sponsors.

The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) contract with EABL, valued at Ksh 26m ($340,000), was signed in 2008 and was due to end this year.

Heading to this year’s Safari Sevens, the past three years have been good for KRU as they have drawn profits from the event.

Last year, KRU yielded Ksh12m ($153,846) in profits, while a similar figure could be in the offing after last weekend’s event that drew over 10,000 fans.
KRU was to spend close to Ksh 80m ($1.026 million) in hosting the event.
They were yet to compute the figures after the tournament that saw hosts Kenya beat South Africa 17-12 for their third consecutive victory.
But have companies benefited financially from sponsoring the Safari Sevens?
EABL made direct profits from sale of their brand that had become synonymous with the Safari Sevens and the national sevens team.

Last year, the company reportedly sold over 1 million cans of Tusker during the event.
Safaricom says its decision to plunge into the Sevens is not a profit making venture but for brand building and corporate social responsibility.

Public relations manager Washington Akumu says their entry in rugby is to build an affinity with the market, especially the youth.
“For instance, the Safari Sevens attracts young people aged between 20 and 30. This is our precise target,” say Akumu.

Kenya Airways corporate communications manager Dick Omondi says they want to connect directly with their customers.

“The mood at the Safari Sevens is overwhelming. It’s all about investing in a relationship with our customers,” says Omondi.

AoN Minet East Africa chief executive officer Joe Onsando says the only way to engage with the community is through the youth in sports. “ It is not about financial benefits. We want to influence the youth positively,” he says.