20 October 2024 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) has announced a three-year partnership with Smartcall Technology Solutions (STS). The deal will see STS as the Official Mobile Fan Engagement Partner to the South African senior men’s National Team, Bafana Bafana, the South African senior women’s National Team, Banyana Banyana, the SA U21 and the SAFA Schools League.
STS CEO Janene Matsukis said that the partnership is not only about standing at the forefront of the mobile technology landscape, but also backing our National Teams.
“Smartcall Technology Solutions is driven to achieve more, empower connections and innovate tomorrow. Our alliance with SAFA has already afforded us the opportunity to craft tailor-made solutions to engage with the much-valued fan more than ever before and throughout Africa. Together, we will offer MORE: More behind the scenes, more statistics, more games and more interaction, because we know that an educated, involved and engaged fan is the ultimate asset to any National team,” Matsukis said.
The collaboration catapults the football fan closer to the game than ever before, with subscribers receiving exclusive and in-depth reports from National camps, coach statements, statistics, line ups and a live match centre. Perhaps the most unique and mouth-watering offering is that of the STS Gamification Service inclusive of Pick ‘em tournaments, Fantasy tournaments and the hugely popular Predictor. Add to that the matchday activations, competitions and give aways, ambassadors, hospitality and promotional events, and the partnership looks to be a formidable one.
SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao said: “It is with great pleasure to welcome SmartCall Technology Solution into the SAFA sponsor family. We are also encouraged that they will put the supporters at the centre of their sponsorship activation when they launch a mobile platform for fans, PEFMO. As key stakeholders of football fans can register on the platform to get inside news from all our national teams and get to know the players well. As SAFA we will be able to connect better with fans through this partnership, which as a technology partner gives us an ability to understand their needs better in this digital age of engagement. We wish SmartCall Technology Solutions success with PEFMO and assure them that through football value will be delivered with their objectives met.”
Matsukis said the STS offering affords national team football fans the opportunity to live and breathe the sport they love on their mobile phones daily.
“We’ve crafted an offering for every passionate football fan to enjoy, embrace and further entrench themselves into the wonderful world of football. Our subscription model is an affordable one, and with SAFA’s help we hope to extend the beautiful game to those that really matter: The Fan,” Matsukis said.
