M-Net Television purchased Pretoria City FC in July 1994. The strategy behind the purchase of a soccer club by M-Net was two-fold:
- M-NET wanted to become involved with local soccer, not necessarily only through television rights, but by buying a struggling team which they could build into one of the better teams in the country.
The future of decoder purchases lies with the emerging market and soccer is beyond doubt the most popular sport in South Africa. The creation of strong brand awareness within soccer, therefore, made sense to the long-term goals of M-NET. - To qualify for the CAF competition in Africa within three years (and as often as possible thereafter) and therefore use the team as a marketing tool for the SuperSport television channel that broadcasts sport in Africa.
Coinciding with the purchase of the club was the purchase of a number of high profile local players.
Even with the new acquisitions, the team continued to struggle in the lower rungs of the league and consequently were relegated to the second division at the end of 1994. The second division gave the team character and perseverance.
They were never toppled from the top of the Northern Transvaal stream, winning the stream and going into the national playoffs with the winners of the three other streams. Pretoria City FC won the second division of the NSL and was promoted to the first division at the end of 1995. Not only was the team successful in the second division by winning the league, but also in the National Cup competition, the Bob Save Superbowl.
Pretoria City went on to play in the final of the Bob Save Superbowl but unfortunately lost 3-2 against Cape Town Spurs (who also won the first division title).
This was the first time in South African soccer history that a second division soccer team had reached the final of the National Cup competition and thereby qualified to play in the Confederation of African Football Cup Winners Cup Competition for second and third division teams.
One of the most significant off-field developments was the decision of the M-Net-backed Pretoria City board to apply to change the name of the club to SuperSport United Football Club. This helped start the process of maximising brand awareness and applying sound commercial principles that had made M-NET a financial success in broadcasting as well as their other sports holdings.
M-NET made an application to the NSL to change the name to SuperSport United FC and this was duly agreed during the NSL’s Annual General Meeting.
SuperSport United FC was born
Since 1997 SuperSport United have been relatively consistent performers in the Premier Soccer League and in 1999 they won the Bob Save Superbowl which later became the ABSA Cup and then the Nedbank Cup, South Africa’s equivalent of the FA Cup, beating Kaizer Chiefs in the final.
SuperSport United had to wait until the 2004/2005 season to win their next major title, the then SAA Supa 8, again defeating Kaizer Chiefs in the final. The club also went on to beat Wits University in the final of the ABSA Cup, the second premier cup competition title.
Two seasons later, 2007/2008, SuperSport won the first of their three consecutive League titles, a feat matched only by Mamelodi Sundowns at the turn of the millennium.
In 2012 SuperSport United won the third premier cup competition, now rebranded the Nedbank Cup, defeating crosstown rivals Mamelodi Sundowns in a final played at Orlando Stadium.
Three runners-up positions in the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup and a third-place league finish in 2011/2012, followed by a fifth place in the league in 2013/2014 season sees SuperSport United now regarded as one of the most successful and consistent teams in the South African Football landscape.
With 20 consecutive top-eight finishes, a plethora of talent being produced annually by the club’s youth structures and numerous titles in a very short history, SuperSport United has developed a reputation of being a progressive club and a competitive contender in all competitions.
CLUB HIGHLIGHTS
2019-20
MTN8 Cup Champions
2018-19
MTN8 Cup Runners-up
2017-18
MTN8 Cup Champions
2016-17
Nedbank Cup Winners
Telkom Knockout Runners-Up
2015-16
Nedbank Cup Winners
2014-15
Telkom Knockout Winners
2012-13
MTN8 Runners-Up
Nedbank Cup Runners-Up
2011-12
Nedbank Cup Winners
2009-10
Absa Premiership Champions
2008-09
Absa Premiership Champions
2007-08
Absa Premiership Champions
2005-06
SAA Supa8 Runners-up
2004-05
SAA Supa8 Champions
Absa Cup Champions
Coca-Cola Cup runners-up
2003-04
Finished 3rd in the Castle Premiership
2002-03
Castle Premiership Runners-up
Qualified for African Champions League
Semifinalists of the BP Top 8 Cup Competition
2001-02
Castle Premiership Runners-up
2000-01
Finished 8th in the Premier Soccer League
BP Top 8 Cup Competition qualification
2001
Signed a co-operation agreement with Feyenoord Rotterdam of Holland
1999
Bob Save Superbowl Champions
8th in the Premier Soccer League
CAF Cup qualification
1995
Winners of the 2nd division NSL
Runners up of the Bob Save Superbowl
Winners of the Sparletta Challenge Cup
CAF Cup qualification
