New team, new partnership, new opportunities

The agreement will allow PTH – the parent company that owns Saracens, RT Marketing, MBN Promotions and a major shareholding in the National Sporting Club – to expand as a business and will lead to both companies sharing knowledge and operational expertise.

Companies within the South African-based SAIL Group Ltd offer a wide range of sporting services and brands including; Navitute, which offers sports business consulting and rights commercialisation; SAIL Sport & Entertainment, an event, and merchandising and sponsorship management company and CIRCA that offers hospitality management, stadium management and event creation.

The group also owns shareholdings in the Blue Bulls Company, Western Province and Griffons rugby organisations and their non-sport owned investments include a stake in a sport-travel company, Edusport.

“This is a partnership that will benefit all of the companies within the Premier Team Holdings group and one which we are very excited about,” explained PTH Chairman Nigel Wray. “By signing this agreement, it will allow us to grow as a business but also open up opportunities across the world. Both groups have similar interests and this venture will allow us to build on those synergies along with enjoying a cross-fertilisation of ideas and knowledge.

“From a Saracens perspective, as the margins in professional sport grow smaller every day, the need to challenge and expand every part of the organisation is key to developing sustained success. This partnership supports those aims."

Brand de Villiers, CEO of SAIL Group Ltd, says, “The deal provides entry for us into the UK and European market. We recognise that there is a big South African rugby market in the UK and we hope that this investment could appeal to that market. We are always looking to expand not only geographically, but also expand its extensive range of event and stadium services.”

Wray added: “The deal involves an investment into our company and not a sale of shares and it does not affect the ownership or control of Saracens … we remain committed to the taking the club forward and the development of an English focused squad.