The Betway Premiership clash between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs on 1 February proved the immense commercial value of South African football.
The integrated sponsorship monitoring service provided by the Novus Group found that the match drew a cumulative audience of 3.7 million viewers across SABC1, SuperSport Variety 4 and SuperSport PSL.
This saw the derby delivering unparalleled brand exposure for sponsors, highlighting the growing importance of strategic sponsorship measurement in modern sports marketing.
The match, broadcast live across three channels, saw SABC1 leading with 2.2 million viewers, followed by SuperSport Variety 4 (831,844) and SuperSport PSL (649,525). These figures show the significant audience reach of free-to-air platforms and underscore why sponsorship investments in South African football continue to deliver strong returns.
From a brand visibility perspective, Betway and FNB emerged as the top sponsors, with sponsorship values of R7.6 million and R7.5 million, respectively. Vodacom followed with R3.2 million, while sportswear giants Adidas (R1.4 million) and Kappa (R1.39 million) rounded out the top five.
Understanding how brands are positioned during high-profile sporting events is critical to evaluating sponsorship ROI. Metrics such as audience reach, sponsor share of voice, and advertising equivalent value (AVE) provide sponsors with actionable insights that help optimise future strategies.
Real impact
“With a cumulative audience of 3.7 million, the Pirates vs Chiefs derby once again showcased the unrivalled commercial power of South African football and the immense following behind these two iconic clubs. At Mscsports, we go beyond exposure—we analyse the data to ensure sponsorships drive real impact.
“By tracking key metrics like share of voice and media value, we help brands turn visibility into measurable returns,” says Carrie Delaney, managing director at Mscsports.
“Sponsorship is about more than just placing a logo on a jersey or stadium banner. Think about it as a doorway to gaining invaluable insight into the impact of the sponsorship,” says Joe Hamman, Director of Novus Group.
“With comprehensive media monitoring, brands can quantify their exposure across multiple platforms and determine how their investments translate into audience engagement and brand recall.”
Granular insight
The Pirates vs Chiefs derby continues to be one of the most-watched fixtures in South African sport, offering brands significant exposure. The betting and banking industries led sponsorship investments, demonstrating a clear trend in strategic brand positioning within sports marketing.
Brands that leverage detailed sponsorship analytics can refine their marketing strategies, ensuring maximum return on investment and a deeper connection with target audiences.
As sports sponsorships become increasingly competitive, the ability to measure and interpret real-time media data is vital for brands looking to justify and enhance the effectiveness of their investments.
“By providing clients with granular insights into sponsorship performance, Novus Group empowers brands to make data-driven decisions that enhance their market positioning,” Hamman adds. “Our ability to track exposure across TV, print, online, and social media ensures that no valuable engagement metric is overlooked.”
Contact Novus Group or visit the Novus Sports Sponsorship Monitoring site here to start optimising your sponsorship investment. OR download the report here.
