Photo Credit: SA20 League
Betway SA20 and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa have announced a strategic partnership to help drive social change.
The SA20 lit up the South African summer in its inaugural season, bringing entertainment, world-class cricket and fanfare to the stadiums across the country. As the build-up to the second season continues, the focus has also shifted towards making a sustainable impact off the field.
The Laureus Sport for Good Foundation funds and supports several Sport for Development programmes, which use sport to tackle a wide range of social issues affecting youth in disadvantaged communities. From the award-winning surf therapy organisation ‘Waves for Change’ in Cape Town, to the gender equity programme, ‘Goals for Girls’ in Johannesburg and basketball focused ‘PeacePlayers South Africa’ in KwaZulu-Natal, the League will be helping to raise funds towards the 31 programmes around the country.
“Sport has the unique ability to transform lives, having Laureus as our Social Impact Partner demonstrates our shared commitment to making a difference,” Betway SA20 League Commissioner, Graeme Smith said.
“Laureus have programmes in all six cities hosting the League, and through this relationship and the expertise within the Laureus Foundation, we want to play our role to enable the upliftment of communities around the country. This collaboration extends beyond the boundaries of the cricket pitch; it’s about positively impacting the lives of young South Africans.”
The League will be hosting over 800 young participants from various Laureus programmes at matches over the course of the competition and supporting their fundraising initiatives around the country. Two young children will have an exciting opportunity to rub shoulders with their heroes as they walk out with the two captains in the Final.
“It’s exciting to partner with an event that not only positively impacts the cricket ecosystem but that caters for all South Africans, showcases the country on the world stage and gives people a reason to come together. The Laureus movement in South Africa looks forward to combining its effort with SA20 to jointly work towards creating positive social change within South Africa,” Morné du Plessis, Chairman, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation South Africa said.
The partnership will also extend to India, one of Betway SA20’s key strategic markets owing to the strong Indian Premier League owner connection. Laureus has several programmes through the Sport For Good Delhi programme, and works closely with former India legends Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid.
Legendary Indian all-rounder, Yuvraj Singh said: “I am excited that we (Laureus) have tied up with the SA20 League. I hope this partnership will bring more sport for good in South Africa.”
Several activities have been planned to bring the partnership to life in the upcoming season, with the main vision being using the power of sport to make impactful change.
Name of Author: SA20 League
SA20, officially known as the Betway SA20 for sponsorship reasons, is a Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament in South Africa organized by Cricket South Africa (CSA). First held in the 2023 season, the league features six city-based teams. Sunrisers Eastern Cape won the first two editions of the tournament.
