Energade set to re-energise South African football

Sports drink Energade will be energising South African national team footballers for the next three years after signing an inaugural sponsorship agreement with the South African Football Association (SAFA).

The sponsorship will see Energade become the official sports drink of all national teams under SAFA, quenching the thirst of Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana, who each enter the race for continental glory over the next few months.

Professional sport makes great demands on the human body and revitalising fluids is one of the keys to sustaining top performance. Energade is a leader in the science of rehydration and has a proven record in helping sportsmen and women to achieve their goals.

Energade was launched in 1993 as the first sports drink in South Africa, just a year after Bafana Bafana played their first match after readmission into international football. Through the sponsorships of SA Rugby, the Comrades Marathon, Absa Cape Epic, and other key sporting properties, Energade quickly became a household name associated with high performing sportsmen and women.

Energade has managed to build an ever-improving and engaging product range for not only elite sportsmen, but also South African fans and everyday sports lovers.

Energade provides vital carbohydrates for energy, and replenishes lost electrolytes, as well as hydrates the body during sport. It is the sports drink of choice for any sports person preparing for or recovering from regular exercise or planned fitness events.

“Tiger Brands understands an important connector between food, beverages and well-being as being physical activity and in this context – sport. We also appreciate the role of sport in this and as a contributor to nation building. We have thus been heavily involved in South African sport for a number of years now with Comrades Marathon and Springbok Rugby, but believe that we have a lot to offer football as well. We take enormous pleasure in helping our national teams to perform to the best of their abilities and give them the fuel they need to be the best in the world,” says Peter Matlare, CEO of Tiger Brands.

“We know that this is a crucial time coming up for Bafana Bafana, especially with the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on the horizon. We want to be a part of the national team’s success and are thrilled to have reached this partnership with SAFA for the next three years.”

SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani has echoed those sentiments and believes that brands such as Bafana Bafana and Energade are an excellent fit together.

“We are delighted to have Energade on board as one of our partners and know that this fantastic product will help our athletes maintain peak performance. In professional sport you need to endeavour and gain every advantage possible and we know that this sponsorship by Energade will give our teams that extra boost they need,” Nematandani says.

“We would like to express our gratitude to Energade for the professional manner in which they entered into negotiations with us and believe that this is just the beginning of a long association between our respective winning brands.”

Energade is joining a number of other sponsors who are rallying behind SAFA in developing the beautiful game in South Africa.