SportPesa and Everton win South African Sports Industry Awards

The Everton Football Club and SportPesa have received an award in the Best African Sponsorship and Pan-Africa Campaign of the Year categories in the Sports Industry Awards held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

The awards are as a result of Everton deciding to travel to Dar es Salaam to play against SportPesa Super Cup winners Gor Mahia from Kenya in July 2017. This game, referred to as “Everton in Tanzania”, became the first time an English Premier League football team had visited East Africa.

The Head of Partnership Management at Everton Football Club, Mark Rollings, expressed his gratitude for the award.

“We are delighted that our partnership with SportPesa has been recognised on such a prestigious stage as the Sports Industry Awards,” he said.

“These are the most recognised sports sponsorship and marketing awards in Africa, so to win both Best African Sponsorship and Pan-Africa Campaign of the Year is a testament to the strength of our partnership with SportPesa and their ethos as a partner.

“Everton has a proud history of African players and a special connection to the continent, so this is not only a proud day for the club but also a demonstration of what the power of Everton can do for commercial partners in the region”.

SportsPesa, which started in East Africa, is now in the UK, Italy, Tanzania, South Africa and Kenya. The Director of Administration and Compliance for SportPesa Tanzania, Tarimba Abbas, said the recognition was very much welcome.

“It’s great for SportPesa and myself to witness such an honour given to our company, the recipients of the awards,” he said.

“SportPesa is now a global company, and these awards will motivate us in our venture to participate in sports development in Africa, and the world at large.”