The Siya crew reported back in September that the Premier Soccer League and MTN were locked in contract talks having struck a short-term deal for the 2023/24 season with the view to iron out a few details.
Now, it's understood the two parties are close to finding each other and have in principle agreed to a lengthy partnership regarding one of the domestic cup competitions, the MTN8. The union between the PSL and MTN began in 2008 when the title sponsor replaced SAA – it was announced in 2016 that an extension had been signed up until last year, hence this season was for a short period.
Soccer Laduma has been led to believe there could be new innovations introduced moving forward, but that will only kick in next season with the competition already concluded and Orlando Pirates retaining their status as champions last month.
The Buccaneers beat Mamelodi Sundowns on penalties at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. MTN see great value in football and are eager to bring more activations to get more mileage out of the new agreement, so it is crucial for the telecoms giant and one of the most lucrative leagues on the continent to sign a contract before the end of the ongoing campaign.
The top eight teams are already decided in May when the season concludes with a format and quarterfinal fixtures already known to the public – so if a deal is announced by then, the sponsor can maximise.
