MOROKA Swallow’s proud sponsor Birchwood Hotel has decided to extend the sponsorship deal till 2014. The sponsorship will now include the new addition in the Birchwood group; the Soweto Hotel. The relationship started 8 years ago when Birchwood Hotel, a family business started operation in Boksburg, now called Ekurhuleni.
The hotel was small at the time but had very big ambitious plans such being a key industry player
in hotel and Conference Centre in the Southern Africa, that dream has since been achieved.
For Moroka Swallows at the time, chips were down. Slowly but surely things have since improved. Recently the team has done extremely by achieving the runners-ups position in 2011/2012 season, cleaning up in the PSL industry awards and now winning the Mtn8 Top eight competition. This has prompted Birchwood to dig deeper in their pockets because they want to fuel this winning spree.
Jazzman Mahlakgane, the Marketing Director of Birchwood Hotel said: “8 years ago one made a phone call to Mr Bennett Mtshali, Mr Sipho Xulu and Mr Gavin Bernstein, directors of Moroka Swallows. At the time the chips were down for the “Dube Birds”. At the time Birchwood was also a small hotel of only 186 rooms in the middle of Boksburg that wasn’t sexy enough or rather not appealing enough for a professional side; I suppose that would even include those at the rock bottom of the Log. The three Gentlemen promised to get back to me, with one’s knowledge of football tricks, that for me meant giving them an idea to approach one of the big hotel competitor.
Little did we know that Moroka Swallows had the same vision as we did? ‘To start somewhere with the
intention of going everywhere’. Our eight year relationship has finally produced the cup that matches our years of our healthy relationship- the MTN 8. The MTN 8 cup to us as the biggest Hotel and Conference Centre in the Southern Africa means the beginning of greatness for both parties. This IS INDEED the proud moment for the Birchwood Hotel”.
Siyabonga Sangweni the Brand and Communications Manager of the team said: “Birchwood has come along a long way with the team. When they decided to come on board that was the start of good things for the team because it meant we had to push ourselves live up to the expectations of our sponsors. Very few private companies or investors were willing to take the risk. Birchwood took a risk by having faith on us, one of the oldest soccer brands in South Africa. Our promise to them is that, we will always strive for excellence; win more games; collect more points than last season and win more cup competitions.
Moroka Swallows is looking forward to many years of a win-win sponsorship relationship with Birchwood and Soweto Hotel
