The new sponsor of DStv Premiership club Richards Bay FC Thabiso Tenyane has vowed to use his 15-year-long relationship with the president of La Liga giants Real Madrid to learn and enhance football in the country.
Tenyane, the founder and executive chairman of Phakwe Group, announced a blockbuster sponsorship deal worth R100 million with the Natal Rich Boyz over the next three years. The deal will see Jomo Biyela’s club receive R60 million which will be broken down to R20 million per season over the next three seasons and the remaining R40 million will be used to develop the training facilities and infrastructure of the club.
“People know Florentino Perez as the owner of Real Madrid. He is my partner in energy for 15 years. So there is a lot I’m going to be flying down to him to learn as to how this thing is being done. The value of soccer in South Africa cannot be lower compared to the EPL or La Liga. This is the same thing. It’s the same sport. There is something we are not doing right that needs to be done right,” he said while addressing the media following the announcement.
Richards Bay chairman Jomo Biyela said the financial boost will assist in providing stability for the team while equipping them to be able to stay in the top flight.
“Like I said earlier on, this will help us to bring stability to the team and allow us to plan in terms of player personnel and the technical team. Because of this financial injection, expectations are going to be high, but we must also be realistic that we are a new team, but we are getting there. What we can promise is top eight,” said Biyela.
The Bay team had a lacklustre 2023/24 season which saw them finishing 15th on the log with 30 points having experienced sixteen defeats in 30 matches. They retained their spot in the promotion/relegation play-offs after overcoming Baroka FC and the University of Pretoria.
Six new players were also announced to have joined the club in preparation for the new season. Siyethemba Sithebe, Keagan Allan, Fezile Gcaba, Sbani Mntungwa, Thabiso Kutumela and Tlakusani Mthethwa will be instrumental in ensuring that Bay avoid another relegation scare.
Written by Siphesihle Soni