Absa’s real game plan

Do you want to hear something funny? The big news to have hit rugby over the past few weeks hasn’t been Peter de Villiers-motivated, or related to anything on the field.

No, this honour belongs to Maria Ramos and Absa. Ever since they sent that fabled SMS to Oregan Hoskins, they have been receiving a lot of flak from vocal rugby pundits. The reason is because we, as the public, object to the idea that sponsors, let alone the government, have the right to interfere in the affairs of professional rugby.

Ramos this week came out with her strongest statement of intent, insisting that transformation should remain at the cusp of the rugby agenda. Absa feels that as one of Saru’s biggest sponsors, it has a say how its money should be spent or something like that. Ramos reiterated that Absa deputy chief executive Louis von Zeuner’s message to Hoskins stating their displeasure at black representation in rugby had her support.

So, the line has now been drawn in the sand. Certain questions at this stage need to be answered to ascertain a motive to Absa’s actions. What does it gain from increased black participation? Does it give a shit what people think? How far is Saru willing to go to please its soon-to-be-announced leading sponsor? Did Absa even have the right?

Absa’s position as the leading contributor to Saru’s coffers gives it a leverage few organisations have over sport in South Africa. With the expanding black middle-class on the way to or nearly surpassing the white middle-class in relation to population size, Absa perhaps sees a future marketing boon. Rugby is associated as a primarily white sport, and as such in South Africa at least, a middle-class game. Absa might feel that by attracting more non-traditional backers from black communities (though many regions in the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape would rightfully disagree) it’s using rugby as a means of growing its customer base.

If it is willing to pay a shitload of money to sponsor the Currie Cup and get its name on the Springbok jersey, it isn’t mucking around is it? To Absa, this whole mess from its point of view is a PR wobble and nothing more. Organisations such as AfriForum have typically called for shock tactics in dealing with Absa getting its “greedy” hands on the game played in heaven, but frankly, this sort of move shouldn’t be that shocking.

South Africa is changing, and if large corporates such as Absa aren’t seen to be changing, that is bad for business and what is bad or good for business is all that matters. Absa is simply protecting its investment and ensuring it gets maximum value for what it paid for.

Does it have the right? No, inherently it doesn’t but ever since the game went professional, moves such as these were always likely to happen. Also, to show outrage now ignores the vast influence sponsors already have over the game. Do you really think Vodacom DOESN’T have some influence at WP, the Blue Bulls and Free State? Of course it does because it holds the bank book.

To say that Saru has done a good job on transformation would also be a large fib. The big five provinces, with the odd exception, still field predominantly white teams. The Springboks black representation has almost exclusively been in the front row or in the back three.

Money makes the world go round, so we better get used to events such as these happening more often.