Ellis Park is back as the stadium name of the Golden Lions’ home ground, but that may again change in the near future.
Sport24
The union’s president Kevin de Klerk on Tuesday confirmed that stadium sponsors, Coca-Cola, had opted not to renew their five-year, R12m-a-year deal which ended in December last year.
So for the time being, the stadium will be called Ellis Park, after it was known as Coca-Cola Park since 2008.
However, the union union has already moved to obtain new sponsors to take over the naming rights of the stadium.
De Klerk admitted that they’re busy with the process of obtaining a new sponsor, with an announcement expected to be made in the near future – which could again see the removal of the Ellis Park name.
The Lions won’t feature in this year’s Super Rugby competition after being replaced by the Port Elizabeth-based Southern Kings. They will instead play in their own organised “Lions Challenge” series against various teams from all over the world.
Lions’ fixture list for 2013 (which includes Lions Challenge matches and excludes Currie Cup games):
- 19 January: Lions v Russia – Ellis Park, Johannesburg
- 23 January: Lions v Cheetahs – Ellis Park
- 2 February: Lions v Bulls – Orlando Stadium, Soweto
- 9 February: Lions v Kings – Ellis Park
- 23 February: Namibia v Lions – Windhoek
- 16 March: Lions v Mont de Marsan – Ellis Park
- 13 April: US Invitational v Lions – Ervine, California
- 20 April: US Invitational v Lions – Vancouver, Canada
- 27 April: Chicago Lions v Lions – Chicago
- 11 May: Lions v Agen – Ellis Park
- 1 June: Lions v Samoa – Ellis Park
- 8 June: Lions v French Barbarians – Ellis Park
- 15 June: Lions v Stormers – Ellis Park
- 21 June: Lions v Sharks – Ellis Park
- 12 July: Lions v Montpellier – Ellis Park
- 20 July: Lions v Grenoble – Ellis Park
- 27 July: Super Rugy promotion/relegation first leg – TBA
- 3 August: Super Rugby promotion/relegation – Ellis Park