Gayton weighs in on equity deal 'strife'
Yesterday at 10:06 AM
Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie believes an equity partner proposal led by billionaire Johann Rupert is a better option for SA Rugby (SARU) than a revised Ackerley Sports Group (ASG) bid.
According to reports, the US investment group ASG has renewed its efforts to invest in SARU by working with a local consortium that includes Rupert, Sharks controlling owner Marco Masotti and Stormers owner Johan le Roux.
However, speaking exclusively to Sport24, McKenzie urged SARU to reconsider its approach and move beyond the drawn-out ASG saga.
"This deal has divided South Africans and taken the gloss away from the on-field successes of the Springboks," McKenzie told Sport24.
"What has happened in the boardroom has taken away what the players have done. I think the time has come for us to move on."
"SA Rugby must find alternative sources of revenue and they must just kill this thing because it has caused a lot of unnecessary fighting, division, and strife,” he added. “SA Rugby must think outside of the box, and I have faith in SA Rugby’s leadership in terms of finding another alternative."
McKenzie confirmed that he had seen the Rupert-backed proposal and rated it superior to ASG's. "I have seen another proposal, with my own eyes, from the Rupert group. It is better than the ASG proposal," he said.
Meanwhile, SARU president Mark Alexander confirmed to News24 that ASG's exclusivity period has ended, though no new formal offers have been submitted.
Photo: Gallo Images/Oupa Bopape
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