TODAY Kia Motors launched the exciting world-renowned Kia Champ into the Arena 5-a-side football tournament to be played at the Randburg Sports Club, Johannesburg. Football fans will be treated to some exciting soccer when 32 teams go into battle from 25-26 June 2011 for a chance to be crowned champions and represent South Africa in the world finals of the COPA America 2011 in Argentina.
Last year, the South African version of the tournament was won by Randburg Spurs, who went on to finish runners up in the World Finals. Defending champions, Randburg Spurs, get another chance in this year’s tournament to contest for the national crown.
Ray Levin, the Chief Executive Officer of Kia Motors South Africa, says Kia has been a leading sponsor of various sports initiatives, locally and internationally. “Kia views the active participation in football sponsorship marketing as an integral part of its ‘globalisation’ strategy to internationally enhance and locally customise its brand image.”
“Being an official partner of FIFA, and actively involved in sponsoring various football events such as last year’s 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa as well as being a sponsor to the UEFA Euro 2012 Tournament, football is entrenched in our corporate culture. Kia is also very much involved at a grass roots level, and together with Sporting Chance, manage an initiative called the Kia Street Soccer Programme”, he further adds. “This is a youth development programme with a strong emphasis on nutrition, life skills, personal hygiene, conflict resolution, sports etiquette, and the environment from an early age.”
“On an amateur level, the Kia Champ into the Arena football tournament targets local 5-a side football teams to showcase their talents and compete locally. The winning team will represent South Africa in Argentina from 22-25 July 2011, where they will have the opportunity to be world amateur 5-a side champions,” says Levin.
Rafique Hassim, the captain of Randburg Spurs, the defending champions of the Kia Champ into the Arena 5-a-side football tournament, says: “It was great being crowned South African champions and finishing runners up at the world event under the superb Jeremy Seethal, our team manager. This year our team will feature almost completely new faces after most of our award winning players went into retirement because of various reasons with at least one turning professional. But the chance to go to Argentina means we are still the team to beat and we will present a strong side.”
OVERVIEW – Kia Champ into the Arena
CONCEPT
• 5-a-side Champs into the Arena football tournament
• Played on an astro-turf action football ‘indoor’ court
• Team compliment: 1 goalkeeper, 4 players, 1 substitute
• The tournament is in 4 phases:
◦ Phase 1: Preliminary Round of 32
◦ Phase 2: Finals Round of 16
◦ Phase 3: Celebrity Exhibition Match
◦ Phase 4: World Finals (Argentina)
• Winner of the Round of 16 will be invited to the World Finals in Argentina and a four-day hospitality programme will be provided by Kia
