Cheeky Watson
EP Kings rugby players have received their overdue salary payments.
The cash-strapped union was unable to pay its players in recent months, but according to reports, players were finally compensated.
EP Rugby president Cheeky Watson said his players had been paid up to date and were also compensated for any inconveniences.
Watson would not elaborate further but it is thought that the payment includes the double pay packet promised because of the delays in securing a new sponsor.
There is however still no news on the Kings’ new lucrative sponsorship, believed to be in the region of R 200 Million.
In an earlier statement, Watson had insisted that the deal was as good as done: “What I find amazing and disturbing is that there is so much negativity around something so positive, and that it (the new sponsorship deal) is possibly the biggest sponsorship-partnership for any franchise this country has ever seen.
“I can give you the absolute assurance… that it is still very much on track, and the launch of the sponsorship and the value is imminent,” said Watson.
The Kings start their Currie Cup campaign with a home game against the Golden Lions in Port Elizabeth on Saturday (14:15 SA Time kick-off).
Sport24
Pull the other one Mr Watson. This was supposed to have been confirmed and launched a few weeks ago already. And the players were also supposed to be paid then as well.
The PRASA Eastern Province Kings?
Maybe the New Age EP Kings?
Not many SA Conglomerates who can spend R 200 Million on Marketing, let alone Sponsor a Rugby side for R 200 Milion smackers, even if taken over a number of seasons.
What size company and what type of turnover would warrant spending R 200 Million on a single team of a single sport?
I recon one would have to think no more than 2% of turnover to be spent on a single marketing cause, because one would have to leave enough of the cake left for a multitude of other marketing avenues too…
So, we are talking about a company which turns more than R 10 Billion over the duration of the Sponsorship… and then also a company with good profit margins in reaching those kinds of figures. Man, that is huge, and leaves not many at play to select from!
Cut away the usual suspects like ABSA (who by the way will sponsor the Currie Cup for the last time this season), Vodacom or any of the Cell Companies (They are cutting down and will never spend that type of tomm), The Media Industry (who are cutting back on all costs and closing down publications left right & centre), other Banks, Sportwear & Supplement Companies (do not have R 200 Million to spend on marketing).
So who does that leave?
Mining Giants, Oil Companies, Government subsiduaries?
Maybe a giant food retail chain? Definately not any of the SA Food & Retail Chains!
Or are we talking about a Multinational Giant of some description here, who wants to increase it’s African footprint?
… or are we talking Cheeky Watson bullshit here?
grootblousmile wrote:
4 @ Stormersboy:
What is worrying is that the man is capable of bullshitting the public… and his players, so he might maybe even able to bullshit and sweet-talk big sponsors too… and then fuck them over well and solid!
@ grootblousmile: Howzit GB. I don’t see the point in bullshitting this one by Mr Watson. But then we have an entire government full of bullshitters so maybe he was a keen student of same. That said, I agree, the list of candidates who are capable of stumping up R200m is very small indeed. In fact, I cannot think of one right now. We used to use a rule of thumb: The direct investment in a sponsorship = roughly the investment in the support required to make that sponsorship work optimally. By this measure, some sweet-talking marketing executive needs to have sold his company on the idea to invest R400m behind their EP Rugby investment. Unlikely to say the least.
6 @ Tassies:
I also do not know why Watson would bullshit, other than that has been his way of life and his general manner of operation.
He’s been a master manipulator all his life.
Maybe he genuinely believes some of the shit he spews, and intersperses it with some fabrication and shit.
That is often the methodology that the big world conmen follow… they mix absolute bullshit with some very carefully chosen truths, to give it the appearance of something irresistible… that’s how they manufacture the actual conn.
A lot of conmen then also throw in some confidence stuff, add some bible punching to enhance their supposed credibility, and play the victum… and they are smooth-talkers of note!
Now that leads me back to Cheeky Watson… he has all the attributes I described above.
I also cannot possibly think of a South African Company who would spend that much on any sponsorship… that’s why I raised the possibility of a Multinational Giant of some description, because they at least have the weak Rand to help them out, at R 19.50 (or thereabouts) against the Pound, R 12.00 (or comparable) against the US Dollar and R 14.50 or so against the Euro, to offset the total amount of the sponsorship, making it not that much, if it were a European Sponsorship… but of course it is not…. and for the life of me I cannot think offhand of a Multinational now busy trying hard to increase it’s African footprint to such a big extent.
Hmm. Interesting.
If I compare the lack of ability to pay employees with what happened whenthe Lions were in deep financial poo, I must conclude that Mr Watson is only telling us the tip of the iceberg.
Despite being technically bankrupt, the Lions never failed to meet their payroll commitments (as far as I am aware).
There were some VERY drastic cuts that had to be made in terms of the number of employees (overheads wear shoes!), and many committed and valuable back room staf were made redundant in order to keep the ship afloat, and I suppose there were some very friendly bankers that arranged some facilities that may have helped, but the bottom line is that the Union came through everything financially intact.
The fact that the Kings have had support from “all and sundry” and still have problems making their payroll commitments points to a very poor management ability in terms of controlling the budget.
As far as a “sponsorship” of this magnitude is coincerned, I have to ask what a potential “partner” would gain by pumping in the amount of money that Mr Watson is throwing around?
The Kings had a p1ss poor season last year, and at this stage can hardly be seen as contenders for a Currie Cup play off spot. Hence TV and media exposure would be meiocre at best.
Further, the current shenanigans in PE would not inspire confidence that King III is being used as a barometer to control financial affairs at the Union, further giving reason not to invest in the organisation.
Let us also not foget that the Lions’ were in the Rugby wilderness without a Super Rugby berth for a season, and NO HEADLINE SPONSOR for a year therafter, and only managed to attract a partner in Emirates after managing to pull themselves out of the Rugby wilderness, and surviving the financial quagmire without folding.
Thus far, the Kings have not proven an ability to perform either on the field, in the boardroom, or on the balance sheet.
As soon as the Rugby people in the Eastern Cape take hold of the situation and install people to run the Union / franchise WHO HAVE THE INTERESTS OF RUGBY AT HEART, then we can expect the region to return to where they belong.
Be warned though, that process is long and arduous.
At the Lions we started lobbying for change in 2007.
We eventually managed to bring that change about on July 29 2009 when Kevin de Klerk was elected President.
It took a good 5 years for that change to start paying benefits.
As the Captain of the Titanic found out, you cannot turn around a ship of that size in time to miss the iceberg that is so obviously in your path,
GOOD LUCK Rugby people of the Easten Cape region. You will need it, as well as a steely determination to get things right.
bosasa groep…..mark my words boetie tony sal sorg dat daar van daai vet regerings kontrakte se geld by cheeky en kots uitkom
@ smallies:
sorry chaps dis gavin kotsen nie tony nie
@ Scrumdown:
Well said, Scrumdown. I think the Lions are still feeling the pinch a bit, even with the Emirates sponsorship. I agree, that EP Kings are going to have walk a long and difficult path to get out of the financial poo they are in right now. The people I feel sorry for are the avid rugby supporters in the Eastern Cape and the rugby players bar one.
Interesting to note that the EP Kings under 19 team is still undefeated in the ABSA under 19 competition having defeated Free State, the Leopards, Western Province and the Bulls so far this season.
They must at least be doing something right in the Eastern Cape………
@ robzim:
And yet their Craven Week team got given 95-0 by WP?
Weird one, that!
BrumbiesBoy wrote:
True… I watched that match on TV… in defence of EP i have to say that the WP team was exceptional .. one of the best Craven week teams i have ever seen…
Well, if the Lions can hook the Emirates, why can’t EP / the Kings lure, say, Rosatom? 🙂
Attachment:
9 @ smallies:
Bosasa Group is not nearly big enough to fork out R 200 Million on a single sponsorship deal, even if that deal is stretched out over 5 years…
Over 5 Years it still means R 40 Million per year…
… Unless they are doing things I am totally oblivious about…
@ grootblousmile:
daai ouens het regerings kontrakte van tot 3 biljoen ,cheeky se boet gavin die grootbaas,goverment is in sy sak,hy het beslis die means,of dit sy geld is is n ander storie
15 @ Angostura:
Interesting Company you chose to nominate.
Had a quick look at ROSATOM, and see it is the Russian Federation National Nuclear Corporation… and I admit I know absolutely didly about them.
My first response is, what would ROSATOM stand to gain from such a rugby sponsorship? Are they trying to get their name out there in South Africa on a massive scale, and build their brand in South Africa… and if so, surely their clients out there is not the general man in the street in South Africa or the Eastern Cape… they would target (or have to target) the Power Generating Industry in South Africa or persue big buddy-buddy relationships within Government structures, and not engage the man in the street.
A rugby sponsorship investment (it is an investment after all) needs to have its roots in a return on investment of considerable proportions – otherwise it is merely throwing money down the tubes – and the type of sponsorships rugby provides is invariably aimed at the mass personal people oriented market, not the massive corporate market, therefore not the market ROSATOM would wish to break through to.
Maybe I am missing something big here…. maybe you could put it into some semblance of sense for me, as I genuinely cannot see ROSATOM gaining ANYTHING with an excercise like this.
One understands the Emirates sponsorship of the Lions… Emirates business is geared towards the travel industry and therefore towards everyone on the street with some ambition to travel internationally… a Brand Building excercise in nett effect… getting their name out there!
Emirates also already had a rugby foot in the door prior to the Lions sponsorship, through it’s Sevens committments in prior years.
Look at the other big SA Rugby Sponsors… the ABSA okes, Vodacom, Sports Manuafacturers like Asics & Puma, BMW ect… all geared towards the individual and everyone on the street.
What am I missing, that I do not see at all?
17 @ smallies:
Die enigste manier wat Bosasa R 200 Miljoen sou INVEST, is om meer uit te kry as teenprestasie.
Nou hoe werk hierdie teenprestasie, vra ek jou?
Die man in die straat deal nie met Bosasa nie, of grootliks nie… dis die Government Kontrakte en groot Corporate Kontrakte (soos jy tereg noem), wat van hulle groot spelers maak… so hoekom sou hulle R 200 Miljoen wou weggee aan ‘n mark wat nie uitsluitlik hulle teikenmark is nie?
Die enigste rede waaraan ek sou kon dink is die belofte van moerrrrrse Goverment Kontrakte aan hulle, sou hulle die Kings sponsor, wat vir hulle vêr meer as R 400 Miljoen netto sal inbring… sowel as natuurlik die boetie-boetie situasie tussen Gavin en Cheeky Watson.
3 Biljoen turnover is steeds te min om ‘n sponsorship van R 200 Miljoen te regverdig. Die rede hoekom ek so sê is dat mens moet gaan kyk na die persentasie wat hulle oorhoofs aan ALLE vorme van Bemarking opsy sit.
Kom ons neem in hierdie geval argumentsonthalwe in ag dat hulle ‘n reuse 20% van turnover aan bemarning wil spandeer (behoort aansienlik minder te wees)… die somme wat ek nou bereken los nou R 600 Miljoen vir ALLE vorms van bemarking… as my somme mooi werk, nie waar nie!
20% van 3 Biljoen = R 600 Miljoen.
Dan neem jy in ag dat daardie bemarkingsplan van R 600 Miljoen in deeltjies gesny moet word sodat die bemarkingskoek alle vorms van bemarking behoorlik dek… wat mens seersekerlik met ‘n maksimum van 10% van die R 600 Miljoen laat vir een spesifieke projek soos rugby – R 60 Miljoen… wat meer as 3 keer te min is om die R 200 Miljoen op te maak.
Dis hoekom ek in Comment Nr 3 die bedrag van R 10 Biljoen gebruik het (sonder om in ag te neem wat Tassies in Comment Nr 6 gesê het)… so eintlik praat mens van R 20 Biljoen en nie R 10 Biljoen nie… as jy verstaan wat ek bedoel.
Nou vergelyk daardie R 20 Biljoen met die 3 Biljoen wat jy genoem het… en jy sien Bosasa is nog 6 KEER te klein!
Behalwe natuurlik as daar ‘n ander wortel (waarborg) van moerse besigheid voor Bosasa se neus gehou word, MITS HULLE DIE KINGS SPONSOR… en hulle maak uit daai EERSTE wortel voor die neus maklik die R 200 Miljoen op. Dan, en dan aleen maak daai omkoopbedrag, want dis dan niks anders nie, sin vir my!
Weereens, wat is Bosasa se “Core Business”… is dit gemik op die man in die straat… of is dit gemik op baie groter visse en soustrein aktiwiteite?
As dit op soustrein aktiwiteite geskoei is, mors hulle mos hulle geld met rugby sponsorship wat op die individu gerig is, nie waar nie?
18 @ GBS
If you were a cynic, you would say Rosatom has already secured its multi-decade future benefits from South Africa (to be paid for by Jan Alleman), and therefore does not have to concern itself much about marketing, but rather about the range of offset obligations (you might wish to google “offset obligations”) that it has committed itself to implement in return.
One can of course speculate about the nature & beneficiaries of such offset obligations, but there is no obvious reason why sports development/sponsorship in a relatively disadvantaged region should not be one of those offsets. I would be disappointed if Cheeky did not consider this opportunity: A friendly call to Minister Joemat-Pettersson could’ve opened doors … no?
BTW, my original post was facetious – was just trying to point out that by ‘Thinking Outside the Reactor’, there is no (non-sporting) reason why EP cannot land the biggest sports sponsorship in South African history.
’twas Oscar Levant that said there is a thin line between genius and insanity (and that he erased that line).
If Cheeky pulls off the massisive sponsorship (from whichever source) he’ll be lauded a genius; if he fails he’ll be branded an insane fraud (but in truth, there is sometimes a very thin line between success & failure – just ask the Bokke).
erratum:
“thin line” should read “fine line”
18 @ grootblousmile:
“and I admit I know absolutely didly about them (Rosatom).”
http://mg.co.za/article/2015-02-12-exposed-scary-details-of-secret-russian-nuke-deal
@ grootblousmile:
jong daai firma is diep geconnect glo my ma as ek se om 200 mil uit te haal om die kings te borg as n wortel is nie vergesog nie,die rumour destyds tydens toekenning van dcs kontrakte was 170 mil aan ompkoopgeld vir kontrakte ter waarde van 3 biljoen by dcs
22 @ Angostura:
I typed a long answer… only for it to get deleted by pure error by me, just prior to me wanting to post it…
Maybe a good thing I deleted it by error, because it contained words like plunder, massive corruption, backhanders… and flushing SA down the toilet… and I was being very specific as to who were all guilty of these… let’s call it by name… attrocities.
Still doubt a massive Giant like ROSATOM would invest, even as mere offset obligations, in rugby… and in stead I would think they would try to create a ruse of caring deeply for a region by investing in social upliftment schemes, housing, schools ect… in an area they wish to plunder and strip bare and fuck over!
Sorry, there I go again with the expletives…
Anyway, we can only wait to see if Cheeky is an insane fraud or just a bullshitter (there is no genius buried in there somewhere) of the highest order.
The man carries all the signs and attributes of a classic confidence trickster, a fraud, an embezzler and a scurge to all around him. I have dealt with enough of them, defended enough of them in the courts and all the signs point only one way!
Even if the Cheekster pulls off the R 200 Million sponsor.. be sure that someone will be fucked over in the process!
23 @ smallies:
As omkoop en Bosasa voëls van eenderse vere is… dan is deals met Cheeky se vere seker nie uitgesluit nie.
Jy moet laat Pietman jou paar stories vertel oor die Watsontjies en hoe hulle te werk gaan…
Dis die enigste manier wat ‘n deal soos die sin maak vir Bosasa, want as genuine bemarkingstrategie maak so sponsorship net mooi fokkol sin vir Bosasa nie.
Lots of interesting reading.
Having had first hand experience of the “offset obligations” that were supposed to materialise from the “arms deal”, I can tell you that it is nothing more than smoke and mirrors used as an ulterior motive to propogate fraud, corruption and embezzlement.
However, on the other hand we are talking about a region where the governing party is under HUGE pressure from a populace who are becomming increasingly dissolusioned with the lack of delivery, and where there is a REAL possibilty of them losing control in the metro in the upcoming (2016) local government election.
That said, do we really expect the governing party to sit back and do nothing? Or could we expect them to do everything in their power to turn the tide of popular opinion back in “their” direction?
The Russians have lots of money, the public will eventually pay it back in the form of taxes, and the governing paty will hold on to power in the region for a few more years and be able to plunder the state coffers until the next crisis.
Of course, it would need the buy in of the likes of Mr Watson and his executive. Do we think this is a possibilty given Mr Watson’s history?
Conspiracy theory or just a good imagination?
Thanks Ango’, Smallies and GBS for planting the seeds.
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