How did the Black Stars exceed the world’s expectations and rise to prominence, advancing to the latter stages of the last two Fifa World Cups? How can African Football integrate sponsorship models that are both prosperous and socially sustainable?
Ian Taylor, head of Exp. Nigeria, who was instrumental in facilitating the strategic relationships between the Ghanaian Football Association and Black Stars’ headline sponsor Gold Fields, addressed such questions at last week’s Rhodes University Investec Business School forum.
The talk provided a practical understanding of how Taylor’s team collaborated with Gold Fields and the GFA to implement a holistic strategy which succeeded in adding value to the lives of Ghanaian people and also represented a viable return on investment for the mining giant.
In the early 2000s Soccer in Ghana had ebbed to what was possibly its lowest point in history. Fans were despondent and the GFA was in a state of unrest. In 2005 Gold Fields Ghana took a considerable risk by becoming the side’s first permanent sponsor. Thanks largely to the acumen and know-how of Taylor and his team, the world can see today what an enormous difference a well-planned sponsorship deal can make.
Taylor, who’s faultless track record seats him firmly at the forefront of African business, emphasises the importance of expectation management, supporting players in their individual capacities, and national football development. This holistic approach was achieved by funding not just the national team but also its parent body the GFA. To this end a Football academy was established to grow Ghanaian Football from the youth level upwards. Gold Fields also helped sponsor the 2008 African Cup of Nations tournament which was held in Ghana.
Individual sponsorship of the side meant that both players and coach received VIP treatment all over the world. Where previously players had to pay for their own air tickets and kits for matches, each player is now provided with full transport and three kits per game.
Public appearances for players and coaches are also organised to ensure ongoing celebrity status. Taylor notes that it was Exp.’s and Gold Fields’ great faith in the Ghanaian players’ talent that prompted them to take the plunge and sign the deal.
From the sponsor’s point of view, although gold sales were not actually boosted, the venture proved lucrative. Immense brand affinity was gained in the soccer-loving nation, and, by uplifting Ghanaian football as a whole, the mining company earned the status of an excellent corporate citizen.
In the wake of the Black Stars impressive success at the recent 2010 World Cup, Gold Fields are struggling to retain their status as headline sponsor and are facing fierce competition from other commercial giants like Coca-Cola and MTN. Taylor’s agency have come up with the strategic solution of segmenting the sponsorship deal and thus implementing a system of separate packages for a headline sponsor, a broadcast sponsor, a telecommunications sponsor and so forth.
Ghanaian Football and the Black Stars are a far more profitable outfit today than they were before this association began, and therein lies the sustainability of this sponsorship programme, says Taylor.
Currently Gold Fields Ghana are seriously considering a continuation of their support of Ghanaian Football at the development level, and are thus looking at options with the younger squads such as the under 20s and also the Ghanaian women’s side, which also speaks to the programme’s sustainability.