I’ve got to be honest, my relationship with Telkom as a mobile service provider is complicated. It is the kind of complicated that involves long hold times, vanishing data, patchy data network signals, and the occasional “No Service” message while trying to send a time-sensitive WhatsApp voice note. And yet, yet! here I am, genuinely clapping for them when it comes to what they’re doing in the sports world.

This week, Mscsports announced the renewal of its partnership with Telkom, and I’ve got mixed signals, pun very much intended.

The sponsorship agency Mscsports has officially been reappointed as Telkom’s go-to partner in all things brand sponsorship. For those who follow the back end of sport as much as the action on the field (hi, it’s me), this is a big deal. Mscsports helped Telkom launch the Telkom Netball League back in 2017, and now they’re back to take the reins across a full portfolio that includes cricket, esports, and of course, netball, a sport that’s finally, rightfully, claiming centre court in South Africa.

Carrie Delaney, the MD at Mscsports, said it best: “Netball will always have a special place. It’s where women’s sport steps into the spotlight.”

What makes this renewed partnership even more interesting is the shift toward digital sponsorship, not just TikTok shoutouts and flashy hashtags, but real-time, data-driven strategies that make fan engagement actually meaningful. We’re talking immersive platforms, interactive activations, and using sport as a storytelling tool.

Telkom’s foray into gaming and esports (shout-out to VS Gaming) is where things start getting interesting, I hope they rope in Grant Hinds. It’s not just about branding the scoreboard anymore, it’s about being part of how young people experience sport, connection, and community.

One of the most admirable things about this partnership? Both brands are loud and deliberate about their commitment to equity — especially in women’s sport. Mscsports, now proudly 60% Black female-owned, has made purpose-led sponsorship a central pillar. Telkom, meanwhile, is still one of the few big brands consistently putting money and marketing muscle behind women’s leagues.

It’s more than feel-good optics. It’s about building long-term visibility, infrastructure, and real career pathways in sport. And yes, even this occasionally Telkom-frustrated subscriber can admit that’s worth celebrating.

So, Do I Still Side-Eye My Network Provider? Honestly? Yes.

But can I also admit that if more corporate brands followed Telkom’s lead in sports development, especially in underrepresented areas like women’s sport and esports, we’d be looking at a whole different ecosystem? Also yes.

And so, I’m calling it: Telkom in sport is doing the kind of long-game work that matters, even if my data still occasionally drops mid-whatsapp conversation or while I’m streaming on the road.

Written by someone who loves sport, believes in women’s leagues, and just wants to stream a match in peace