Watson teams up with HSM

Watson teams up with HSM

17 May 2011

Highbury Safika Media has confirmed their entry into the sports management market and the signing of Springbok and Eastern Province Kings loose-forward Luke Watson as their first rugby client.

[video src=http://static.keo.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Sequence-1-Web.mp4]

HSM, the largest independent publishing house in South Africa, also service the media requirements of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.

HSM CEO Kevin Ferguson said Watson’s personality and involvement in the development of the Kings as a Super Rugby franchise were primary factors in the company wanting to be aligned with the player.

‘We believe there is a market in South Africa to properly manage the portfolios of our sportspeople, in terms of service delivery to the player/athlete and by extension the investor and sponsor of such player/athlete.

‘We are not an agency. We don’t have agents. Our principles are based on managing the player, and this extends beyond just their sports portfolio,’ said Ferguson.

‘We were very specific in approaching Luke. He has committed to building something special in the Eastern Cape and South African rugby and we as a company with a very strong sports background also have a commitment to the region and the massive role the Kings can play in South Africa rugby.’

Watson, who turned down a three-year contract extension to play for and captain English club Bath, returned to South Africa this week.

‘Playing for the Kings is a wonderful opportunity for me as a player and as a person. I played for Eastern Province as an 18 year-old. I was schooled at Grey PE. I believe in what can be achieved in the region and what value the region will be to the strength of South African rugby,’ said Watson.

‘As a player I also wanted to be aligned with a vibrant company whose people share my enthusiasm for Eastern Province and South African rugby and who also believe there is a different way to manage the careers of players. Most players simply have agents and HSM’s service to a player far extends negotiating a contract. It is about relationships, based on integrity, and about maximizing the potential of the player off the field and ensuring the player can make a contribution to the greater South African society.

‘There have been many people who questioned my sanity for giving up what I had at Bath to return to Port Elizabeth but those close to me know what the region means to me and my partnership with HSM will also allow me to make a contribution that goes beyond what I do on the field every weekend,’ Watson added.

Watson arrives in Port Elizabeth at the weekend and will represent the Kings in the guise of the South African Kings in June’s IRB-sanctioned Emerging Nations tournament to be hosted by Romania. The Kings replace the Emerging Springboks as South Africa’s tournament representative.


37 Comments

  • 1.cane: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:00 pm

    Luke, a Dragon homeward bound.

  • 2.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:01 pm

    NOW THIS, is interesting…

  • 3.Kietzphat: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:02 pm

    @PissAnt(PissAnt)-2:

    My thoughts exactly… Will be watching the outcome very closely.

  • 4.Stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:07 pm

    Not exactly the scoop of the year,,,,,

  • 5.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:08 pm

    BOOOM! goes the credibility of HSM, keo.co.za and SA Rugby as objective sports media channels.

    As his publicists, we can expect worse punting than we saw when Jake White Winning Ways was on board.

    Oh well, it should provide a platform for lively…er… debate.

  • 6.Stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:12 pm

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-5: :D

  • 7.gunther: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:13 pm

    @Stormersboy(stormersboy)-4:

    hahahhahaha.

    what did I tell you.

    I smell a book :lol:

    I wonder how Jason Smith feels about this?

  • 8.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:13 pm

    Good on Luke for these fools wanting to align themelves with his particular brand of bulldust…

    It aint nothing to do with his Rugger ability though…

    I think I may need to go Puke…

  • 9.Taahirah: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:15 pm

    Lol.

    How the wheel turns…

  • 10.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:15 pm

    @Stormersboy(stormersboy)-6: Seriously, if you thought keo and the elves were far up the Watsonass before, you’re in for a treat now. They’ll need a proctologist to help them file their daily reports.

  • 11.Stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:19 pm

    @gunther(gunther)-7: Yip. You called it.

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-10: I “luke” forward to the theatre :D

  • 12.cane: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:24 pm

    I see Luke has two Threads today already!

    Wow.

    Sonny Bill fever has been replace by Luke fervour within hours of SWB vacating the Republic.

  • 13.gunther: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:26 pm

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-10:

    Alimentary dear Watson :lol:

  • 14.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:27 pm

    @cane(cane)-12: You’re witnessing the power of the mighty keo/hsm juggernaut. Sunni Bin will have to sign up too or face getting lost in obscurity.

  • 15.DQG 7: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:28 pm

    Looks like Keo has to write the agency exam. Good luck with that.

    Funny how the same company that ripped Luke to shreds a year or 2 ago are bragging about representing him now.. lol..

  • 16.DQG 7: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:31 pm

    I don’t thinks Jason Smith would be to worried with a guy like Rynhardt Elstadt on his books.. Bigger,stronger and faster

  • 17.MacToogie: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:35 pm

    all this means is that there will be an increase of articles and front covers of Puke in future SARugby Magazines, i wonder if they do subscription refunds, i might want to get my money back.

  • 18.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:46 pm

    @DQG 7(DQG 7)-15: @DQG 7(DQG 7)-16:

    Quite correct, there is a big difference between being a player’s agent (negotiating contracts) and his management company which looks after the player’s portfolio.

    Unless Keo or anyone in HSM has written the SA Rugby exam and registered with SA Rugby they will not be able to negotiate contracts with unions or teams on his behalf.

    For all we know, Smith has outsourced the ‘player portfolio management’ to HSM but still acts as his agent.

  • 19.gunther: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:50 pm

    @PissAnt(PissAnt)-18:

    Interestingly I don’t see luke on their site.

  • 20.SHARKattack: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:55 pm

    does this mean Luke can stage his own media conferences?

  • 21.gunther: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:56 pm

    I can’t believe keo actually used the word service delivery to describle athlete representation.

    all HSM clients will receive

    1 RDP house
    350 free litres of water / month
    300 free units of electricity / month.
    food vouchers for shoprite to the value of R500 (not to be used for booze)
    free education for any and all legitimate or illegitimate children.

    where do I sign?

  • 22.fantasticbarnsmell: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 12:59 pm

    This is no surprise really, Luke Watson has a public image problem in South Africa and HSM will go some way to remedy this, or at least attempt to do so.

  • 23.Horing: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 13:08 pm

    To me this seems like a huge conflict of interest. How would HSM be able to write objectively about Luke (or the Watson’s for that matter). Critisicm would not only upset their client but could also reduce his market value.

  • 24.MacToogie: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 13:20 pm

    @Horing(Horing)-23: just go back a few months and you will see all the positive articles regarding the watson family and their en-devours, it was a build up to this i reckon. only once they end up in court like JW will they say another bad word about them.

  • 25.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 13:21 pm

    Very interesting.

  • 26.BlackShark: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 14:00 pm

    Say goodbye to any credible criticisms of LW on any HSM media products from now on.

  • 27.cab: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 14:42 pm

    christus, the propaganda’s going to go thru the roof now.

  • 28.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 14:53 pm

    @cab(cab)-27: It already has. Four glowing articles and counting (including an SA Rugby front cover). This is like Mugabe’s state-owned press, and then some.

  • 29.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 14:55 pm

    now this is didn’t expect…hhmmm?

  • 30.cab: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 14:59 pm

    @>^..^< katman(katman)-28:
    yeah, i tell u what these okes must be sitting back hosing themselves with such unashamed blatancy.

    Ps your proto chirp at 10 deserves special mention, most amusing, my nandos hoender went flying when i read it.

  • 31.toddke: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 15:39 pm

    Isn’t Keo owned by HSM? So already 3 threads on “KING” Luke?

    So media company owns his a s s and so guess what we’ll get? Only articles that up his product value. Expect him to be cover of SA Rugby in coming issues…..

  • 32.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 17:10 pm

    surely this is a conflict of interest.

    just watch….one kak game and they will be wanting to make him a bok.

  • 33.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    17 May 2011, 17:50 pm

    This blog now has a VESTED financial interest in promoting Fluke as well as the E Cape franchise. HSM is their official propaganda arm.

  • 34.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    18 May 2011, 00:33 am

    This site will now no longer be objective on Twatson or any other player it “promotes”.

    Poor show.

    Expect the propaganda to go into overdrive.

    3 threads on Watson the King [of puke and bile] today already.

    I wouldn’t pay money for SA Rugby magazine either…

  • 35.Slartibartfast: Reply to this comment
    18 May 2011, 04:44 am

    @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-34:

    This site will now no longer be objective… And we will notice this change how?

    What I am looking forward to is to see how they manage their pro weepee propoganda with their ‘newly’ acquired Kings propoganda!

  • 36.Beertjie: Reply to this comment
    18 May 2011, 10:49 am

    I take it we won’t read anything about Busasa (or whatever they’re called) hear on KEO…

  • 37.Beertjie: Reply to this comment
    18 May 2011, 10:49 am

    @Beertjie(Beertjie)-36: hear=here

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

Have your say

You must be logged in to post a comment.