Premier Soccer League Blows a Foul on Cape Town City’s FNB Sponsorship ▷ SportsBrief.com

• The first bit of drama of the new season has developed between the Premier Soccer League and Cape Town City
• The PSL is not happy with the Cityzens having FNB as its main sponsor, citing a conflict of interest
• This was due to Nedbank sponsoring a cup competition, which the PSL believes is a form of ambush marketing on FNB’s part.

The opening match of the 2022 DStv Premiership match between Cape Town City and Mamelodi Sundowns last Friday at Cape Town City almost did not take place.

This was due to the Cityzens bringing onboard First National Bank as the club’s main title sponsor. It was reported that SAFA officials were told that FNB’s logo on their jersey was not approved, before the club obtained a court interdict which ensured that the match went ahead.

According to the Sunday WorldSAFA head of referees Abdul Ebrahim said:

“This is a commercial issue and the PSL are best placed to comment on the matter. We only deal with the laws of the game and matters about kit logos, perimeter boards and marketing should be addressed to the league.”

The publication reported that a well-placed source inside the PSL said:

This is ambush marketing. We have Nedbank as sponsors of one of our cup competitions and City’s sponsors are sneaking into their territory. All the clubs have a compliance manual and they must send a request to the league 14 days before they can sign. Then the PSL executive committee will approve or reject the sponsorship.”

Cape Town City chairman John Comitis responded that if the league hoped to be a competitive one, then clubs must enjoy sponsorship and financial sponsorship, adding:

“A lot of clubs are folding because they do not have sponsors. I hope that we can resolve this matter with the league this coming week, and that they will show me what it is. I did that was wrong, or whether I stepped on someone’s toes.”

In 2018, the PSL and SAFA collided over the latter signing a R50-million sponsorship deal with OUTsurance which would see their match officials kitted out with the company’s logos.

Supersport United goalkeeper Ricardo Goss punches Chippa United’s Ronald Pfumbidzai; gets red carded

If the opening weekend of the 2022/23 DStv Premiership season is anything to go by, we are all in for a bumpy ride.

As reported by Sports BriefSuperSport United goalkeeper Ricardo Goss was shown a straight red card after punching Chippa United defender Ronald Pfumbidzai at the end of the match that ended in a one-all draw.

Pfumbidzai, a Zimbabwean international, put the Chilli Boys into a 17th-minute lead, before Bradley Grobbelaar leveled matters in the 63rd minute.

Source: Sports Brief News