SportPesa and Kenya Harlequin Football Club have today announced a major partnership deal in which the leading gaming company becomes the official title sponsor of the rugby club.
The multi million-shilling long-term deal will go a long way in developing the team, which has been a launch pad for many of the country’s rugby greats.
Speaking when he unveiled the deal at the Kenya Harlequin Clubhouse in Nairobi, the team’s chairman Mike Lucas lauded the deal, adding that it will go a long way in improving the day-today running of the club.
The club has seen been improving in local leagues rising to position three from 10 in the Kenya Cup, a premier 15s rugby league in the country. In the local Sevens nationwide tournament, Quins emerged second after seven legs. A number of Quins players are also part of the Kenya Sevens and 15s national teams.
“Our aim is to make Kenya Harlequin a household brand just like SportPesa which has grown tremendously into a Super Brand in just two years,” said Quins chairman Mike Lucas.
“The sponsorship deal is timely because the club has a lot of expenses and to keep it going we need to take care of allowances for the players, pay for their meals, buy them kits and supplements. We also house and educate some of the players so we are very grateful for this funding support,” said Charles Cardovillis, Director of Rugby at Kenya Harlequin RFC.
SportPesa CEO Captain Ronald Karauri said the deal underscores SportPesa’s commitment to support and develop sports locally.
“We are a global brand but with roots in Kenya and therefore we strive to stay true to our core value of supporting sports from the grassroots as well as community development, a move geared at creating a pool of talented sportsmen and women for our national teams,” said Karauri.
SportPesa has been spreading its wings since its inception in 2014 by sponsoring a number of sporting events in the country, including becoming the title sponsor of Kenya’s top-tier football competition – the SportPesa Premier League.
This is the latest sponsorship deal in rugby after the KSh607 million deal SportPesa signed with the Kenya Rugby Union in July. Under the agreement, the betting firm came on board as the union’s main sponsor. The KRU deal benefits the national teams such as Kenya Sevens, the Kenya 15s, the Under-19, the under-15 and the women’s team.