Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) announced the renewal of the Toyota Free State Cheetahs sponsorship for another three years spanning into 2022.
This was revealed in statement issued yesterday by Ronel Pienaar, Cheetahs spokesman.
According to Pienaar, the contract will still include the title sponsorship for the Toyota Cheetahs Pro14, Currie Cup, SuperSport Rugby Challenge and junior teams.
The sponsorship also includes the naming rights of Toyota Stadium – an icon in Bloemfontein and the Free State – as well as the naming rights of the Toyota Cheetah Academy – breeding ground of the next generation Toyota Cheetah players.
TSAM has over the past eight years cemented its support and commitment to both the Cheetahs and the Free State.
The sponsorship has created incredible opportunities for Toyota to interact with not only Cheetah fans, but rugby supporters across South Africa.
The sponsorship has included coaching clinics for children in and around Bloemfontein, VIP Toyota Owners Parking, fan engagement at Toyota Stadium and the giveaway of two Toyota Hilux vehicles.
Over the past three years of the sponsorship, the Toyota Cheetahs also performed admirably by winning the Currie Cup in 2016 and being rugby pioneers by moving over from Super Rugby into the northern hemisphere’s Guinness Pro14 and in the process qualifying for a quarter final spot in 2018.
In this period the Toyota Cheetahs also hosted the 2016 Currie Cup final, 2017 Test match between the Springboks and Australia and the 2018 Test match between the Springboks and England in Toyota Stadium.
“Through the Toyota Cheetahs Academy we invested in young talent and helping the Toyota Cheetahs to develop rugby and life skills of our future Cheetahs and Springboks. In 2018 another product of the Toyota Cheetah academy in the form of Ox Nche was awarded his Springbok blazer.
“The possibility of helping young stars achieve their dreams is a very exciting and humbling thought, which we are proud to be a part of,” says Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors.
The next three years for Toyota and the Cheetahs will focus on engaging with fans and supporters around South Africa and the world.
The Currie Cup competition – the oldest club rugby competition in the world – is once again a major focus area for Toyota and the Cheetahs.
The excitement of the northern hemisphere and the growth possibilities for the Toyota Cheetahs up north holds enormous promise.
“The Free State is home to a lot of rugby talent on and off the field. We believe that a holistic sponsorship of the union creates a unique opportunity for the Toyota brand to not only be associated with rugby, but also to develop balanced young rugby players and individual. The Toyota Cheetahs has become a strong rugby brand not only in South Africa but all over the world.
“We are proud to be associated with the Free State Rugby Union and Toyota Stadium.” says Hamman.
“The Toyota Cheetahs has over the last eight years been very blessed to be associated with TSAM. We are no longer just partners but has also in process become friends.
“Our association with TSAM has allowed us to compete at the highest level and win a trophy, host test matches and make a seamless move from participating in the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere. We would again like to thank our sponsor, our partner and our fiends – Toyota SA!” he noted.
He concluded: “Toyota wishes the Cheetahs the best of luck for the season ahead. We are confident that they will play their hearts out and make us and all their supporters proud.”
