Bia Saigon pitches in with football support

Hot off the heels of playing the role of Diamond Sponsor at SEA Games 31 in Hanoi last month, Bia Saigon, the leading brand of the corporation (SABECO), is continuing its commitment to supporting Vietnamese football events through the resumption of a seven-a-side league competition.

SABECO is proud to help launch the restart of the competition

SABECO's involvement in the third season of the Seven-a-Side Vietnam Premier League – Bia Saigon Cup 2022, to be known as VPL-S3, will demonstrate the harmonious compatibility between beer and football, which always treats the taste buds with an uplifting experience full of flavour and emotion.

Bennett Neo, general director of SABECO, stated at the opening ceremony and sponsor announcement for the competition last week that Bia Saigon has always been a loyal supporter of football and its fans.

"As the exclusive beer sponsor of the Vietnam national football teams, Bia Saigon is proud to continue its commitment to accompanying and supporting the success of Vietnamese sports stars by being the main sponsor of the Seven-A-Side Premier League for its third season," Neo said. "We believe this will be a great platform to support the growth of incredible football talent in Vietnam by reaching out to more people, particularly in the provinces."

Neo added that there is nothing quite like sports when it comes to bringing people together, and success at international sports competitions rallies and binds the nation together and evokes national pride.

After two years of suspension due to the pandemic, the third season of the competition will be staged across five cities and provinces for the first time – Hanoi, Dak Lak, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho – in order to reach a wider audience. The competition will wind down in Hanoi this September.

The Vietnamese delegation to the SEA Games in 2019 was also previously sponsored by SABECO, which has sponsored other local athletic events such as the 2020 Tien Phong Marathon National Championship, and international events such as the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup in Vietnam, as an official domestic supporter.

When SABECO's Bia Saigon brand became Leicester City's official sleeve sponsor in 2018, it became the first Vietnamese company to be connected with the English Premier League.

Sports sponsorships have always been a key part of SABECO's sustainable development strategy and its support of, and association with, sports reflects its corporate values.

At last week's event, SABECO noted that its decision to support the development of 30 football pitches – particularly in remote areas and areas with a high number of struggling youths – will help to spread the spirit of football, establish important institutions for the full development of human capacity, and provide opportunities for remote youths to improve their health and pursue their sporting ambitions.

"Supporting the growth of culture, sports, and tourism is one of SABECO's four sustainable development pillars," said Venus Teoh Kim Wei, deputy general director of marketing and communications. "While we focus on growing our business and contributing to Vietnam's socioeconomic development, we never lose sight of our responsibilities in promoting and assisting community development."

Last month, SABECO signed an MoU with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on elevating national sports and establishing Vietnam as an attractive cultural and culinary tourism destination for both domestic and international visitors.

SABECO has set a target revenue of VND34.79 trillion ($1.51 billion) and profit after tax at VND4.58 trillion ($199 million) for 2022, up 32 and 17 per cent on-year, respectively. It has also set more aggressive targets for further market share in 2022, although it is yet to reveal its current data.