WEBSITE AND MEMBERSHIP PORTAL LAUNCH

Today, the National Football Supporters’ Association (NAFSA) launches its brand new website www.nafsa.org.za and a free membership telegram portal
https://telegram.me/nafsabot as part of its organizational renewal and repositioning strategy. These game-changing communication and interactive platforms will bring a new meaning to “customer is king” in the football fraternity while enabling NAFSA to establish its presence and identity amongst football lovers. This historic launch is a culmination of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between NAFSA and Intelliconnect Digital Integration Solutions (Pty) Ltd in November 2019.

“We are embarking on a concerted marketing and membership campaign to reach out to football loyalists in all corners of our beloved country and to appeal to potential members. This platform is a game-changer in football and we are sure that it will transform a football lovers’ experience of the beautiful game. The platform integrates day-to-day essential needs of a football fan and access to information, e-commerce and a digital world,” said NAFSA Acting CEO, Siya Loyilane. NAFSA is an independent voice of all football supporters whose aim is to advance the interests of its membership. It is an official home for all football fans in South Africa and its vision is to mobilize all football supporters behind all national teams and the Premier Soccer League, at all levels, in a united and organized manner. NAFSA is a democratically and professionally run national representative body of all football supporters. The organization is pre-occupied with creating an enabling environment for fans to have a meaningful role in the transformation and development of football in South Africa.

A key strategic partner in the campaign, Intelliconnect, is in the business of providing end-to-end tailor-made solutions for mobile and digital payments for its clients. “This relationship is aimed at addressing the broader needs and challenges confronting football supporters and it has paved a way for the development of loyalty benefits programme for the membership of NAFSA, Paul Dennis Intelliconnect Director. Football is the biggest sport in South Africa followed by rugby and cricket. It is a way of life for millions of soccer lovers in the country. Our fans are unique and amongst the most colourful, passionate, entertaining and eccentric in the world. Football supporters, more than any other stakeholder group, make lifelong commitments to their soccer clubs and invest in them economically and emotionally.

The supporters are the lifeblood of soccer in South Africa yet they are the most neglected stakeholder in the football fraternity. The needs of a football supporter vary from getting latest online soccer news and highlights of games, buying a ticket and merchandise, accommodation, travelling to the stadium, having meals as well as safely returning back home. “NAFSA has come a long way since its inception and has been committed to uniting football fans to support our national soccer teams at all levels. Finally, we are very happy to have found a strategic partner, Intelliconnect, a reputable company operating in the digital technology solutions space – this will enable NAFSA to offer value-added services and benefits to its general membership, the football loving South Africans.” said founding NAFSA Secretary General, Siyabulela Makunga.

“We are delighted to enter into this business relationship with an organization like NAFSA, as we believe it offers a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate that we can together make the life of a football supporter easier and more fulfilling by providing tailor made technology products at minimal cost.We will start by conducting a survey on the NAFSA general membership to inform the product offerings, demonstrate proof of concept and then conclude a commercial agreement. The greatest benefit for NAFSA is that it would be able to serve its membership better while professionalising its operations and meeting the needs of their football loyalists.” remarked Julian Topkin, Director of Intelliconnect.

Today’s launch initiates Phase 1 of NAFSA’s brand repositioning and membership drive. It provides an opportunity to everyone to register as members of NAFSA through the NAFSA bot on the Telegram platform and the membership is free to all those interested to join the organization. Registered members will also be asked to fill in a survey to assess the needs of football supporters in order to inform the development of loyalty products and services that will be introduced during Phase 2.

For more details, contact Thabo Masombuka
NAFSA Corporate Spokesperson
076 746 9741/0827416116
Website: www.nafsa.org.za
Facebook: National Football Supporters’ Association
Twitter: @SupportFootZA
Instagram: @SupportFootZA