The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has announced that Absa bank will not renew its sponsorship contract for the Absa Premiership League at the end of the 2019/2020 season.
In a media statement, the PSL stated that:
“Absa has had a 16-year relationship with football in South Africa, 13 of which have been as sponsor of the Absa Premiership since 2007.”
Absa has been the number-one partner of the South African elite league and PSL Chairman Irvin Khoza acknowledged its contribution and strides made during its tenure.
At this given moment, the genie is out of the bottle. PSL has no official backer for the new season and it did not signal Absa successor in its significant announcement.
The cessation of supporting domestic football by Absa comes after all sports were suspended in March due to the on-going global Covid-19 pandemic.
Althout the current top-tier football anchor did not state the reasons of ending its relationship with the PSL, it indicated that its exploring how best to serve the biggest sport in the world.
Ending the season
At the conditions of the “Level 3″ Regulations” designed by government to contain the spread and reduce the infection rate, it unlikely football will return to the fields.
However, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture gave the greenlight for training to commerce but no games are allowed. Only select non-contact sports are allowed to schedule games albeit without spectators.
The are few games left to be played by SA’s professional football clubs in the 2019/2020 edition.
Stakes are pretty high at the top of the Absa Premiership and the tussle is tight at he bootm end. Additionally, with relagation when the season comes to the end goes hand in glove with the promotion of second-tier division teams.
Thete is jo indication of what will happen henceforth, thanks to the upheaval ushered by disruptive coronavirus. The restart of the Bundesliga in Germany and many queuing others in Europe offer hope.
But when the new season starts in SA, nobody knows when that will be, there is likely to be a new suitor for local football support.