Media deal to increase brand exposure for African rugby

As part of the new deal, Kwesé Sports, the exclusive rights-holder for both TV and all digital platforms of Rugby Africa’s games in sub-Saharan Africa, will enjoy unlimited use of APO Group’s Africa Wire^® press release distribution service and media relations expertise to further boost rugby media coverage in Africa and beyond.

In return, APO Group, the exclusive global sponsorship agency of Rugby Africa - World Rugby’s African association - will provide sponsors with increased exposure by including Kwesé Sports’ TV and digital assets in sponsorship programmes.

The overall goal is enhanced visibility and brand equity for rugby in Africa as it continues its upwards trajectory and supports brands in deepening engagement with African rugby fans.

Kwesé is today the only broadcaster to provide unrestricted sports coverage in sub-Saharan Africa through its free-to-air platform Kwesé Free Sports.

Through its pan-African reach, worldclass digital platform KweseESPN.com, Kwesé YouTube channel and the Kwesé iflix mobile app, Kwesé is uniquely placed to deliver rugby content to fans wherever they are.

Fastest-growing sport

Rugby is the fastest-growing sports on the continent, and 2018 is an important year with the World Cup in Japan just around the corner, so this strategic alliance couldn’t be better timed. By teaming up, APO Group and Kwesé Sports will be able to use their peerless reach and media networks to further raise African rugby’s international standing and bring the game to new audiences in Africa and around the world.

The 2018 edition of the iconic Africa Gold Cup doubles as a qualifying tournament for the Rugby World Cup with the winner guaranteed a spot in Japan. All 15 matches of the Africa Gold Cup are being broadcast live on Kwesé Sports and streamed on Facebook, reaching a potential audience of over 15 million people in 20 African countries.

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‘‘As a broadcaster premised on making premiums sports accessible, providing a platform for African audiences to see and celebrate their own as they compete in reputable tournaments such as the Rugby Africa Gold Cup, on Kwese Free Sports is of great importance to us. Through this strategic partnership with the APO Group we hope to collectively provide an even broader platform of exposure for African sports,” said Econet Media president and CEO Joseph Hundah.

“Kwesé is the strongest sports broadcaster in sub-Saharan with which APO Group has built fruitful relationships over the past few months to support Rugby Africa, World Rugby’s African association, in increasing the visibility of its international competitions,” Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, founder and CEO of APO Group said.

“We are very excited to deepen our collaboration through this partnership and further combine our expertise. Both Kwesé and APO Group are widely recognised as major players in the media landscape, and I'm convinced that this potent collaboration will help further expand the reach of African rugby in new local and global markets".