The Netball World Cup (NWC) has suffered a major setback as the Discovery Group has withdrawn Vitality as the headline sponsor of the tournament.
The 11th-hour decision has huge financial implications for the NWC, which is set to take place in Cape Town from 28 July to 6 August.
Discovery confirmed that a mutually agreeable partnership could not be reached. The event will now be referred to as the Netball World Cup 2023 instead of the Vitality Netball World Cup 2023.
The withdrawal of Vitality as a lead sponsor will require the replacement of billboards, promotional material, the logo, and even the match ball.
While the monetary value of the sponsorship has not been disclosed, the withdrawal is said to be for commercial reasons and not related to alleged mismanagement by Netball South Africa. Discovery has expressed its commitment to supporting netball through its partnership with the South African national netball team.
The NWC has released a new logo omitting the Vitality reference and has highlighted the continued sponsorships of Spar and Telkom.
Telkom and Spar have been announced as premium partners of the NWC, while other major partners are expected to come on board.
Despite the setback, the NWC remains optimistic and is looking forward to a successful tournament with the support of its sponsors and broadcasters.
Compiled by staff writer