The Buccaneers have won the first two episodes of this
prestigious campaign – both via gruelling penalty shoot-outs after
closely-fought clashes that saw the stadium filled to capacity with last year
breaking the all-time attendance record for a soccer event.
The campaign has grown tremendously since its inception in
2011 with more than 20-million votes cast last year. This is double the number from the first
year, as fans selected their starting line-ups for the well-sought after Soweto
Derby.
The opportunity to ‘Be the Champion Coach’ has ignited the
imagination of fans from all over the country and this globally unique concept
has taken its place as one of the highlights of the South African football
calendar.
Kaizer Chiefs Chairman, Mr Kaizer Motaung said: “The Carling
Black Label Cup has been a tremendous success not just for the two clubs
involved and the fans who have taken the concept to heart, but also South
Africa as a whole. It has shown us to be a country of innovation and
outstanding achievement.
“The benchmark for success was set high in this campaign and
required massive public involvement for it to work. I am delighted to say that
we have managed to meet the technical requirements of the campaign, and that
the involvement of the public has been incredible,” said Mr Motaung.
Chairman of Orlando Pirates Dr Irvin Khoza suggested that the success of the campaign is reason for football fans to celebrate. "I believe anytime Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs meet, there will be massive interest from the public. However, of greater interest is the fact that supporters have a once in a lifetime opportunity to pick the teams, which is incredible for them.
Chairman of Orlando Pirates Dr Irvin Khoza suggested that the success of the campaign is reason for football fans to celebrate. "I believe anytime Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs meet, there will be massive interest from the public. However, of greater interest is the fact that supporters have a once in a lifetime opportunity to pick the teams, which is incredible for them.
“We saw the entries rise last year from our first campaign
and we expected them to rise again in 2013. In a South African football context
it does not get any bigger than the Soweto Derby and we have given the
supporters that and the added excitement of being able to select the team they
want to see on the field,” said Dr Khoza.
“The Carling Black Label Cup concept has been hugely welcomed by the South African football fraternity as it affords consumers a unique opportunity to realise their dreams and ‘Be the Champion Coach. We did not want to tinker with the vision too much, but have changed the substitution mechanism around this year to add a new dimension based on the consumer needs,” said Vijay Govindsamy, Carling Black Label’s General Manager.
“The growth in fan participation and engagement that we saw
from year one to year two has been phenomenal and we are excited to see what
2013 will bring. We are the largest beer brand in South Africa and have
partnered with the two biggest brands in South African football. It is a
fantastic match.” Govindsamy concluded.
By dialing *120*764*
on their cell phones and entering their unique code from the underside of the
bottle top and the # sign (with no spaces in between), they can then choose the
team they would like to manage, and the players they would like to see in the
starting line-up. Voting is free to the consumer. Those supporters who cast
their votes can win great prizes, including a share of R3-million worth of
airtime, match tickets to the spectacle event on July 27 and, best of all, a
coach’s experience with either Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs on match day.
One of the distinctive features of the Carling Black Label
Cup is the exclusive prize that will allow one lucky fan from each side,to
experience their team in training, sit in the pre-match briefing and be part of
the dug-out with their favourite team. This is a once in a life-time experience
for consumers. Fans can log onto Carling
Black Label Champion Coach forum (http://www.carlingblacklabel.co.za/bethecoach/forum)
on a Monday and Wednesday through Soccerzone and Sports Talk on SABC where they
will answer a specific coaching demand from their respective captains
In addition, there will be a Carling Black Label Cup roadshow
that will travel extensively across the country with celebrated SABC 1’s Zone
14 duo, Popeye and Spinach. These
Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs self-proclaimed supporters will educate fans
on voting procedures, the two Soweto giants history and give away fabulous
prizes.
The Coach the Coaches programme will return for its third
year, though with a slightly changed format. In previous years, former Bafana
Bafana tactician Pitso Mosimane has led 72 coaches (36 coaches a year) in a
week-long, high-level intensive training course. The knowledge gained was
shared with their communities, benefiting not just the coaches that undertook
the course but also those in their surrounding communities.
Details of the revised programme, which will target 360
coaches alone this year, will be announced in due course. Carling Black Label
is committed to playing a significant role in the up-skilling of coaches in the
SAB League, the country’s largest SAFA football development league.
Orlando Pirates will be on a quest to clinch the title for
the third consecutive time whilst Kaizer Chiefs are looking forward to breaking
the spell by winning this coveted title for the first time. The excitement of
this year’s campaign starts now!
The Carling Black Label Cup will be keeping fans up-to-date
with voting throughout the campaign, but supporters can also view their team’s
update and have their say by visiting www.carlingblacklabel.co.za or
follow the campaign on the Twitter handle
@blacklabelsa
