Manchester City to embark on summer tour of South Africa

21 April 2009 16:29
Despite the greater financial rewards on offer in the Far East and the club's links to Abu Dhabi, the home of owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan, City have accepted an invitation to take part in a three-game tour of South Africa in July that will see them face local clubs Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria. United have been regular visitors to South Africa in recent years, touring the country during the pre-season campaigns of both 2006 and 2008, but with the European champions committed to a four-game tour of the Far East this summer, City have been handed the opportunity to tap into the burgeoning football market in South Africa less than 12 months before the start of the 2010 World Cup. The Eastlands club are understood to be receiving £2 million from the South African organisers to visit the country, a figure that City could have bettered had they accepted a number of offers to visit the Far East. But with a 2007 survey suggesting that United have 10 million supporters in South Africa, City's newly-formed brand marketing team regard the chance to establish the club name in a United heartland as a priceless opportunity. On the football side, South Africa is also regarded as an ideal pre-season base due to the autumnal southern hemisphere weather conditions and absence of the time zone difficulties that have previously affected various clubs touring the Far East and North America. City are close to sealing a new kit sponsorship deal and negotiations are also advanced in the search for a shirt sponsor to replace the £2.3 million-a-year deal with Thomas Cook, which runs out this summer.

Source: Telegraph