Cape Town - Cape Town Stadium, has now been renamed again to DHL Stadium after a multi-year naming rights partnership was signed with DHL Express.
Cape Town Stadium was initially known as Green Point Stadium before it was changed. The stadium has already had its new name since 1 June 2021 and was used during the Lions Tour, but due to Covid-19 an official announcement was never made.
Branding of the stadium is expected to commence shortly. DHL Express made the announcement of the partnership with Cape Town Stadium today.
The newly refurbished 62 000 capacity stadium is also the new home of the DHL Stormers & DHL Western Province who moved there earlier this year.
The venue has been home to numerous events from the Cape Town Sevens and also the Match in Africa tennis exhibition matches. It was organized by Roger Federer to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation.
DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa CEO, Hennie Heymans said: “DHL is the most international company in the world with a purpose of Connecting People and Improving Lives.
“It’s very important for us as a brand to make a difference in the local communities in which we operate and a partnership of this nature really solidifies our optimism and commitment that we have for South Africa.”
Lesley De Reuck, CEO of the now DHL Stadium said: “I am immensely excited to announce and confirm DHL as our new partner. The launching of the DHL Stadium, marks the beginning of a new era for the Stadium.
“DHL have always been innovative leaders in the world of logistics, and through their contributions to the international express industry, DHL is synonymous with excellence the world over. They are a highly recognised and reputable brand, and we are proud to be associated with DHL.”
While the coronavirus pandemic has caused global economic devastation, impacting all industries, Heymans remains positive.
“Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we believe that sporting, entertainment and business events will continue to have a place in society. Our role as responsible corporate citizens will be to ensure that patrons experience world class events, with a strict health and safety approach.
“This partnership will help play our part in supporting a thriving South African economy, from both a sporting and business perspective,” he said.
Mayco Member for Finance, Ian Neilson said: “When the City built such a world-class stadium as a host of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, we needed to make it happen for the economic opportunities and nation-building prestige that it would bring.
“However, we knew that after the event, we’d have to make it a financially sustainable landmark. Since then, we have been investigating ways to reduce the burden of carrying the operational costs of the stadium. This has led to a number of programmes aimed at enhancing the viability of the Cape Town Stadium,” he said.
“This has included the construction of hospitality suites, securing a primary anchor tenant, and most recently, a naming rights partner. Importantly, this stadium remains an inclusive, multi-purpose sporting and events facility,” said Neilson.
A sneak peek at what the DHL Stadium will look like once fully branded can be seen below.