Premier Soccer League (PSL) has announced Betway as the new sponsor of the Premiership for the next three years, starting with 2024/25. PSL Chairman Dr. Irvin Khoza made the announcement on Wednesday during a press briefing. The new partnership replaces DStv, from now on the league will be known as BetWay Premiership.
“No amount of days will be shifted. We are starting exactly on the third and will issue the fixtures this afternoon of what is happening that day as promised to everybody,” Khoza said. “We now have Betway as the sponsor of the Premiership. Thank you very much to DStv for your sponsorship.”
The change comes despite DStv still having a year left on their deal, which began in September 2020 after taking over from ABSA. MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv is reportedly facing some financial challenges. Betway has stepped in with a substantial offer, committing R900 million for a three-year sponsorship, with an option to extend the deal.
In a social media post, the BetWay company said: “Betway is thrilled to announce a new partnership with the Premier Soccer League. Acknowledging where our game has come from and looks to a future that everyone with football in their blood must continue to build. Introducing the Betway Premiership.”
Betway CEO Laurence Michel promised they would bring exciting innovations to the Premiership, already the richest league in Africa, to bring more spectators to the stadiums: “If you look at how we conducted ourselves in all the sports that we have been involved with, it is about creating content,” Michel, who also pronounced on the deal as the “single biggest investment in South African sport.”
“Those of you [media] that have been involved in covering the Betway SA 20, we created a lot of excitement to that event. We think we brought people into the stadiums for that event,” said Michel.
The league is set to kick off on August 3, with fixtures to be announced later this week.