Laduuuma! Mercedes-Benz is widening its circle of sports sponsorships to embrace the country's most popular sport – soccer. With the announcement of a three-year sponsorship of the East London based Bush Bucks Football Club, Mercedes-Benz aims to help the club regain its status as one of South Africa's premier soccer clubs.

Announcing the sponsorship at a press conference in East London, Richard Venn, Divisional Manager Mercedes Car Group, said the sponsorship will not only benefit the current team, but will also play a vital role in securing the future of the game in the Eastern Cape.

"Soccer is South Africa's most popular sport, and Mercedes-Benz is delighted to have its name associated with the game," Venn said. "We are particularly happy to form an association with Bush Bucks F.C, one of the country's oldest soccer clubs and currently the third largest club in the Professional Soccer League.

"Naturally the club's strong links with the Eastern Cape played an important role in our decision to undertake this sponsorship, as the Eastern Cape has also been the South African home of Mercedes-Benz for half a century," Venn continued.

"The region and its people have been good to us, and the strong bonds that have developed over the years have been vital to the growth of our East London plant into the country's leading export vehicle manufacturer. This sponsorship is one of the ways we want to show our gratitude.

He also pointed out that Bush Bucks was East London's home team, and therefore had a strong fan base amongst the company's employees in East London. "The team has been going through a tough time, and we believe through this sponsorship we will give our workers something to cheer about outside the plant environment."

"That, however, is not the sole reason for our support," Venn continued. "Soccer is the region's most popular sport, and through the strong youth development component in our sponsorship agreement, we hope to help nurture the future soccer stars growing up in this region."

The sponsorship agreement will encompass three main elements: umbrella, development and an academy for the development of young players. In addition, Mercedes-Benz will assist the club to build management capacity by seconding a senior manager to the Board of Bush Bucks F.C.

The sponsorship is also a demonstration of Mercedes-Benz' commitment to be a partner with the Buffalo City Council in its campaign to participate in the 2010 World Cup activities, with all the associated economic benefits to the Eastern Cape region.

This is Mercedes-Benz' third major sports sponsorship in the Eastern Cape: It currently also sponsors the region's cricket team, the Mercedes Warriors, as well as a youth golf development programme.