Past sponsors.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is deeply indebted to to its sponsors. In an age of continual rising costs none of MSSA's participation would be possible without the support provided by its valued sponsors of the national Protea Esports Team. The cost and effort of getting teams overseas is truly monumental, and the dedication shown by MSSA and its sponsors is truly admirable.

Since 2005, MSSA has sent esports teams out annually to represent South Africa in international competition.

The Protea colours issued are priceless, and offer the athletes unique opportunities that go far beyond just the game.

The sponsors themselves have all benefitted from the relationship. Association with the Protea brand is deeply rooted in the South African psyche.

The full list of companies that have supported the dreams and aspirations of the national Protea Esports Team are:

Year	Sponsors
2019	EnerGHack, ZAG Academy, Partnermedia, NWU, IESF, Tuluntulu
2018	Partnermedia, NWU, ZAG Academy, IESF, BOO! Surprising Media Solutions, Tuluntulu
2017	BOO! Surprising Media Solutions, Tuluntulu, IESF
2016	IESF, BT Games
2015	MWEB*, IESF, BT Games
2014	MWEB*, IESF, BT Games, GIGABYTE, Megarom, Internet Solutions, AMD
2013	MWEB*, ROCCAT, GIGABYTE, Megarom, Internet Solutions, AMD, IESF
2012	GIGABYTE*
2011	Blizzard, LG*, IESF
2010	SAMSUNG*, Blizzard, ASUS, IESF
2009	SAMSUNG*, Incredible Connection, ASUS, Hyundai
2008	ACER, SAMSUNG*
2007	SAMSUNG*
2006	EA*
2005	Exactmobile, First National Bank

* Indicates sponsors that had naming rights of the official national Protea Esports Team.

Also read:

• Calendar of  Events: 2020
• Affiliation: Schools
• Affiliation: Private clubs
• Esports titles selected: MSSA's School Championships.
• Esports titles selected: MSSA's Premier Championships.
• Results of MSSA's 10th Annual Online Championships for High Schools
• Results of MSSA's Western Cape Online Provincial Championships.
• Results: MSSA's 11th Provincial Online Championships
• Results: Gauteng Online Provincial Championships.
• Test Match results: South African Protea DotA 2 team rises triumphant.
• Test Match results: DOTA2: South Africa vs Azerbaijan
• New National Team Selection Criteria
• Selecting the national Protea teams for Mind Sports South Africa.
• Qualifiers: Clash Royale
• Qualifiers: Counter-Strike: GO
• Qualifiers: Dota 2
• Qualifiers: League of Legends
• Qualifiers: Paladins
• Qualifiers: Pro Evolution Soccer
• The road to Eilat
• IESF announces first three titles for 12th World Championships
• IESF's 12th Esports World Championship - Eilat now set to December 6th - 12th, 2020.
• South African Esports Team to represent South Africa in IESF's 12th Esports World Championships - Eilat.
• Tournament Schedule for IESF Regional Qualifiers - 12th World Championships - Eilat.
• Rankings: Clash Royale
• Rankings: Counter-Strike: GO.
• Rankings: DotA 2 rankings
• Rankings: FIFA '20.
• Rankings: HearthStone
• Rankings: League of Legends
• Rankings: Paladins
• Rankings: PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER (PES)
• Rankings: Street Fighter V
• Rankings: Tekken 7 rankings

MSSA welcomes Esports Gaming Club (EGC) into membership.

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is already the largest membership based organisation in South Africa for gaming (board gaming, card gaming, esports, wargames), and it just got bigger.

MSSA has just admitted the Muldersdrift based 'Esports Gaming Club' (EGC) into membership as the 18th such club admitted into membership in 2018.

Over the years, since 1985, MSSA has had 185 clubs affiliate, and currently MSSA's membership stands at 108 member clubs. Such member clubs are private, university, and school clubs.

Thus in 38 years 77 clubs have fallen by the way due to collapsing administration, lack of decent  funding models, or other reasons.

Only four clubs date back with a continuous annual membership from prior to 2010, which means that since 2010 there has been a much better retention of membership. 

However, what with the expertise to be found in Esports Gaming Club under the astute leadership of Paul Grobler, EGC is expected to grow and flourish.

MSSA thus welcomes EGC into the community of recognised clubs and wishes such club a long and fruitful relationship.

Flying higher than eagles.

From left to right: Alasdair Donaldson (VexxedPhoenix), Charlize Seremak (HTS Sasolburg), and Khahliso Malape (Fakkel School of Skills)

On Saturday, 23 June 2018, South Africa's national esports team for the FIFA '18 and Tekken 7 esports titles (as sponsored by BOO! Surprising Media Solutions) took on the might of Namibia.

South Africa first played an esports test match against Namibia in 2010, and the two countries have been regularly locked in conflict ever since.

However, as Nike would have it, in 2017, Namibia posted its first victory against South  Africa.

The South African loss immediately made Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) re-evaluate its processes, and with a few tweaks, MSSA was in a fitter and leaner state.

The test match held on 23 June 2018 at Fakkel School of Skills (Sasolburg) saw South Africa demolish Namibia 4 - 1.

All three of South Africa's players, Alasdair Donaldson (VexxedPhoenix), Charlize Seremak (HTS Sasolburg), and Khahliso Malape (Fakkel School of Skills) did South Africa proud by exhibiting the best of sportsmanship and superior skills.

Special thanks go to Johan van Breda (ZAG Academy) who served as the officially appointed Confederation of African eSports (CAeS) umpire and to Fakkel School of Skills for hosting the event.

Achievements made by MSSA in 2017.

Morizane Boyes, president of MSSA, making things happen...

Many will know that Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) sent its first team across in 1991 to the World Wargames Championships. MSSA (then known as the South African Wargames Union) too took part in the meeting at Vanderbijlpark (as featured in the film Invictus) which decided the fate of the Springbok emblem. Thus in 1994, MSSA moved away from the Springbok logo and adopted the Protea.

It seems that in every year that MSSA reaches new heights an creates new milestones on its journey.

2017 was no different, and MSSA certainly created some impressive milestones, the most important being:

* MSSA started its online school leagues under its current format for 3 and 4 term schools.

* MSSA amended its rules for Ladder games.

* MSSA amended its rules for Regional Championships to allow ANY gamer, registered or not, to be able to play.

* MSSA further increased gender equity within its rules to be the only SA sport federation with true gender equity.
* MSSA amended its rules apropos team selection to allow for squads to be selected.
* The Protea Esports Team became ranked 12th in the world.

* MSSA maintains its position to be the worlds oldest body for esports.

* MSSA is ranked 2nd in the world by IESF for administration.

* MSSA started its own channel on the mobile app - TULUNTULU.

* BOO! Surprising Media Solutions partnered with MSSA to further  develop esports.

However, none of it would have been possible without the participation of each and every member. All members made a contribution to help MSSA grow and survive.

Thank you, one and all.

Growth in Participation: effects of Sponsorship.

Three great brands.

Growth is measured in many ways, such as, the increase in the number of clubs, the increase in Registered Players, the increase in participation, and the improvement of standards (administrative, technical, playing).

Here I will be look growth in participation in MSSA’s Provincial and National Championships due to sponsorship.

When it comes to growth, it is always difficult to look back, and with 20/20 vision, isolate and identify the causes of such growth as there are so many factors that affect growth patterns.

Political instability, the national economy, sponsorships, vision, ‘buy-in’, administration, and so forth, are just some of thee factors that affect growth.

Let’s face it, South Africans have been through a hard time. There are few families that are untouched by the effects of crime, the economic meltdown, and the negativity that seems to surround the government over its mismanagement issues.

Yet through all this chaos and insecurity, Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) delivers from one year to the next.

MSSA's year-on-year
growth over the past
five years.

On reviewing the numbers on the right, it will immediately become apparent that MSSA is a growing organisation. Not only is MSSA already the largest membership based gaming organisation in South Africa, but it is continuing to grow at rates that outstrip inflation and population growth rates.

There is no doubt that sponsorships play a part in fuelling growth, especially when they are done on the basis of a partnership and mutual trust and accountability. Thus the MWEB sponsorship obtained in 2013 (which lasted for three years) seems to have directly helped boost the levels of participation dramatically over the 2012 year.

But growth is only good if it can be sustained.

It is therefore quite pleasing to note that the growth rates in participation at MSSA’s Championships were just over 18% for both 2014 and 2015. When it is realised that the growth is measured over the previous year, the 18% is even more spectacular.

The impetus provided by both TULUNTULU and BOO! Surprising Media Solutions no doubt were partly responsible for the massive increase in participation of over 77%. Certainly, I can attest that such sponsorships enthused all administrators and participants alike.

However, it should be noted that in 2016 MSSA showed a 1% increase.

2016 was a hard year for MSSA with many Management Board members becoming distracted. Yet it was in 2016 that many of the foundations were put in place for 2017. It was many of such decisions made in 2016 that made 2017 as successful as it was.


Certainly, from a company point of view, these growth rates are more than acceptable.