Cup of Nations adopts beer
By: Emeka Enyadike
Sponsorship for Nigeria football reached new heights last Friday, as Guinness Nigeria Plc. became the latest sponsors of the Nigerian National football Team - The Super Eagles.
The initiative is part of the brewers'' ‘Reach for Greatness' football program that celebrates the greatness of the game, the players and the fans.
The four-year deal is worth 774 Million Naira (US$6.2 million) beginning with a down payment of 165 Million Naira (US$1.3 million) for the first year- including a clause that Guinness pays the salaries of Super Eagles assistant coaches Austin Eguavoen and Ike Shorunmu).
Tunde Falase, the sponsor's Marketing Director, said, “Our Reach for Greatness builds on our Greatness Campaign which celebrates the acts of inspirational behaviour that men display every day. We launched Reach for Greatness because we recognize that in Africa, football unites and inspires men like nothing else.
“Through our sponsorship of the Super Eagles, we will be celebrating and showcasing the greatness of our national team and the many fans in Nigeria who inspire them to reach for greatness.”
In his response, Nigeria Football Association chairman Sani Lulu thanked the brewer for coming on board pledging that “the money given to us will be judiciously utilised.” Lulu was all smiles as he received the cheques from the company's Falase
At the media briefing, held in Lagos, it was also announced that Guinness is the official beer of the MTN Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana 2008.
Also announced were additional initiatives to dramatize the inspirational values within football and provide more rewarding and enhanced experiences for all football fans.
These included the launch of
Rivalry, a new football themed television commercial, and the company's partnership with Supersport to bring football fans a new exciting football TV program,
Futbol Africa.
Rivalry on airThe new TV commercial, ‘Rivalry' will be on air from now through to the
MTN Africa, Cup of nations, Ghana 2008; it depicts the inspirational behaviour of rival football fans that every year come together for the ultimate showdown, but overcome their differences and unites in a common goal.
Futbol Africa is a must-watch for many football fans as it will in future also include stories of people who have inspired some of Africa's greatest players to reach for greatness.
In its many initiatives in football, Guinness constantly encourages all consumers to drink responsibly.
More by Emeka Enyadike
More...ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emeka Enyadike is the CEO of Deportivo Vandyke International Limited. He has successfully positioned Vandyke as one of the most innovative sponsorship agencies with footprints in international sports, media and entertainment with perhaps the largest network of the biggest corporate sponsors and deep industry know-how, built through a distinguished sporting career that makes him today one of the most respected sports commentators and analysts from Africa. His diverse talents and deep knowledge multi-discipline background and industry have seen him at the top of the game in petroleum management and marketing. Emeka has enjoyed careers in sports journalism, publishing, broadcasting, marketing, management and administration – demonstrating an uncanny ability to mix careers.
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