Saturday 24 October 2009

Rugby : Safaricom spices things a little more in sports

After a shocked earlier this month when EABL withdrew from the rugby circles in a huff, another premiere corporate grabbed onto the opportunity and has made a serious commitment to the Sevens tournament and the sport in general.
First comes the Ksh. 25 million for next year's 7s - KSh. 22 million for the tournament proper and KSh. 3 million for setting up the media center. A concern was whether they would sign the contract for more than 1 year which they did confirming a 3-year deal and the incremental factor after every year.

Another interesting aspect is the involvement of Safaricom Foundation which is the Corporate Social Responsibility (sic) arm of Safaricom Limited. The foundation in consultation with KRFU will seek to upgrade the grounds at the RFUEA to international standards. Now that ought to take serious consideration but if they make true their promise, application to the IRB Sevens Circuit can be made in earnest.
The other interesting thing with KRFU seems to be having local companies raise the stakes in sponsoring local sports which is a big boon to sport. The trickle-down effect to the players and the local league is something that will help enhance and encourage our boys to play their hearts out.
Given rugby 7s entry into the Olympic circles, we can only roll up our sleeves and let some serious work start if we shall challenge for the podium. Let the games begin...!

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