The Sh9.8bn Breakdown
•Rugby Premier League and Championship (Sh2.68bn) – 3 years – Title/Beer Sponsor
•Rugby Africa 7s (Sh430m) – 2 years – Beer Sponsor
•Rugby Cranes 15s (Sh1.77bn) – 3 years – Home Jersey Sponsor
•National 7s League (Sh2.15bn) – 4 years – Title sponsor
•Women 7s (Sh465m) – 4 years – Title sponsor
•National 7s team (Sh1.34bn) – 4 years – Beer Sponsor
•Local Regional 7s (Sh280m) – 4 years – Beer sponsor
•Uganda Cup Men (Sh250m) – 4 years – Beer Sponsor
•Uganda Cup Women (Sh105m) – 4 years – Beer sponsor
•University League (Sh165m) – 4 years – Beer Sponsor
•Annual Dinner (Sh300m) – 4 Years – Lead sponsor
Uganda Rugby is in seventh heaven after Nile Special, under Nile Breweries Limited, unveiled a lofty Sh9.8bn sponsorship package.
This deserved commitment comes on the back of the Rugby Cranes 7s triumph at the Rugby Africa 7s Championship recently at Kyadondo, an event that was also sponsored by Nile Special.
Then, Uganda managed to qualify for the Commonwealth games in Birmingham and World Cup in South Africa.
For their achievement, the Cranes 7s have been rewarded with Sh58m from the Sh9.8bn package.
“Banaye @NileSpecial thank you so much ???? True meaning of teka ssente wolaba
But lest we forget it’s been along time coming tuvude wala team enjoy @UgandaRugby @ug7s ????,” tweeted Rugby Cranes 7s star Philip Wokorach.
The Sh9.8bn also includes league sponsorship of the 15s and 7s for the next three and four years respectively.
“Our partnership with Uganda Rugby has been a journey, not a destination,” said Nile Breweries Managing Director David Valencia during a Dinner.
“The difference is that a person that sets out to enjoy the journey will take pleasure in everything along the way, unlike one that simply cannot wait to get to the destination. But like all journeys, this too has had its fair share of bumps. Yet they fade in comparison to the highs we have experienced over the years most recently the Rugby Cranes 7s triumph ensuring World Cup qualification in September this year, in South Africa.”
The package covers almost an entire calendar for the Uganda Rugby Union including the national team engagements, Uganda Cup both men and women, University League and the annual dinner as Nile Special reaffirms it commitment to Uganda sports and number one fan of Uganda Rugby.
“The game has been on the forefront of making Uganda proud. Uganda has ably been represented at numerous 7s circuits across the world,” Valencia added.
“The feat that has just been attained this year by the men’s 7s side; that’s winning the Africa 7s and qualifying for the World, has been achieved before. We have won the Africa rugby trophy and even played at the 2018 7s World Cup in USA. As the No.1 fan of Uganda Rugby, this is what we are exactly about; supporting anybody that makes Uganda proud.”
The Uganda Rugby Union president Godwin Kayangwe revealed his delight after Nile Special commitment.
“This is a historic day in Uganda sports in general and rugby in particular. We have never had a partner that supported any sport in such a huge way in Uganda,” Kayangwe noted.
“Usually sponsors come in for a property or two but for Nile Special to take on almost our entire calendar is something worth toasting to.”
Kayangwe also stated that the Cranes 7s preparations for the World Cup “starts immediately.”
He added: “We are not going there merely as participants. We want to cause a major stir, check up the status quo and make a name for Uganda. With such a commitment we have been accorded the privilege of a longer term focus on what ought to be done and when; unlike a day-to-day affair or a tournament-to-tournament affair that fixes the attention to the here and now. The ball is in our hands.”
