What's in a name for Transvaal...? (6 Sep 1997)

6 September 1997

What's in a name for Transvaal...?

by Peter Robinson

By the end of next week, the signwriters should be busy at the Wanderers Stadium, ripping down the Transvaal Cricket Board nameplates and replacing them with the union's new name.

A decision to rechristen the TCB was taken this week, chairman Barry Skjoldhammer confirmed, but the province's new name is to be kept under wraps until Thursday night, together with the announcement of Transvaal's new sponsors.

The process of renaming Transvaal has been somewhat more complicated than might have been expected. It has been established, however, that a corporate imaging consultancy presented the TCB with three possible options on Wednesday night: the Wanderers Cricket Board, the Johannesburg Cricket Boardm and the Gauteng Cricket Board.

The last seems the most obvious choice, but whatever the case, a decision has already been taken. What now stands between this decision and a public announcement of the union's new name are the Companies Act and the red tape of the TCB's own constitution.

"Whatever decision is taken by the executive," said Skjoldhammer, "has to be ratified by the clubs. This could take up to 21 days, but we believe that there is a clause which would allow us to push it through within 24 hours."

There are also provisions of the act which have to be met, but Skjoldhammer hopes that the issue will be resolved before Thursday.

Negotiations for a new sponsor to replace TrustBank are also advanced, said TCB general manager Ziggy Wadvalla. "TrustBank are part of the ABSA group and the thrust of their sponsorship is into athletics," said Wadvalla. "TrustBank have been very good to us and agreed to stay with us until we founda new sponsor. I'm pleased to say that we've had very good discussions about this and, all being well, we should be able to reveal the new sponsor's name on Thursday night."

Source: The Saturday Star