Mr Price out of Ballito’s surfing Pro

Mr Price will no longer sponsor the Ballito Pro surfing contest in 2015.

Five years after moving the contest to Ballito from Durban, the company announced the termination of its sponsorship with a terse statement that future marketing would be related to its clothing products.

Group CEO Stuart Bird said last Friday: “All marketing properties have a finite life. After 15 years we believe new properties, particularly in fashion, would be more relevant to our customers.”

He gave no further explanation for the reversal of the company’s outlook. As recently as the last Mr Price Pro contest this July, company executives told the media that the relationship with Ballito would continue for a long time. It is believed that the sponsorship was worth R3.5 million.

The Mr Price Pro was an prime event in the world surfing calendar of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) and was said to be the biggest beach festival in South Africa, bringing around 120000 people to the Dolphin Coast this July.

The three nights of free concerts were a massive crowd magnet.

There were thought to have been about 15 000 people at the Friday night concert alone at Salt Rock main beach. People rocked up with beenies, blankets and picnic baskets to be entertained by class acts like Locnville, Mafikizolo, Chiano Sky, Iscream and the Chocolate Stix and Gangs of Ballet along with DJ Fresh, Roger Goode and Milkshake.

Reacting to the news of the loss of sponsorship, Paul Botha of the ASP said this was definitely not the end of the contest.

He said that in terms of its contract, the KwaDukuza municipality (KDM) was committed to picking up the bill and to finding sponsorship to help cover expenses. The municipality has not commented on the loss of sponsorship.

Ballito business people have reacted with shock at the news.

Ilembe Chamber of Commerce CEO Cobus Oelofse said the Mr Price Pro was the most significant event in Ilembe history, benefiting both small and large businesses directly.

“The influx of spending from outside the region is significant and we need to do whatever we can to secure a suitable replacement sponsor.”

Oelofse said should the tourism levy proposed by MEC Michael Mbuyakhulu earlier this year be unavoidable, it could be used to secure big events like the Mr Price Pro for Ilembe.

“Durban wants to host the contest and we must make sure the tourism community supports efforts to keep the event in Ballito. Stakeholders need to create opportunities for local businesses to get involved in sponsorship.

Smaller local businesses need to recognised their vested i interest in having the Mr Price Pro in Ballito,” said Oelofse.

Ballito Estates’ Barbara Shingler said she could not believe Mr Price has ended its sponsorship contract.

“Mr Price had years of experience organising the Mr Price Pro and it will be difficult to get someone that is as efficient to take over organising the contest,” said Shingler.

Shingler said the contest was a major source of business to holiday accomodation letting agencies because July and the other winter months are generally not busy.

“Losing the Mr Price Pro would definitely have a negative effect on business,” she said.

Ballito Accomodation’s Clinton Markram said the media coverage that the event generates for Ballito was very important to him.