'Everyone Can Play' Written and Performed by Saudi Singer Qusai
Riyadh, 12th April 2011 - MasterCard Worldwide has teamed up with Saudi singing sensation Qusai to launch a song for the Zain Saudi League that resonates with the passion of football fans across the nation. 'Everyone Can Play' pays tribute to the appeal of football as the Saudis' national sport and reflects its impact on fostering team spirit and promoting fair play.
The song enhances MasterCard's program of activities and supports the organization's status as the official payment card of the Zain Saudi League (ZSL). MasterCard is well known for its long-term involvement in the football community across the globe. MasterCard's three-year sponsorship of the Zain Saudi League, Asia's biggest football professional league, marks an important addition to its stable of sponsorship properties.
"We are confident that the league, the clubs and above all the fans of Saudi football will reap significant benefits from MasterCard's involvement in ZSL. The company's long international experience in sponsoring major football tournaments will be instrumental in the further development of the sport in the Kingdom and is a testament to its appeal and the value it yields for sponsors, marketers and advertisers alike," said Mohamed Al-Newaser, CEO of the Saudi Professional League Commission.
"As a committed supporter of international sports and football in particular, MasterCard is extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work together with the Zain Saudi League and contribute to the further development of football in the Kingdom," said Kashif Sohail, market manager, Saudi Arabia & Bahrain, MasterCard Worldwide.
"The song is the first in a series of initiatives we have in store for Saudi football fans. We want to create bespoke opportunities for them to further enjoy the game, interact with their favorite teams and players and enjoy a much fuller experience. MasterCard's value-added initiatives in support of the ZSL are focused on strengthening the appeal of Saudi football and encouraging the sport's grassroots development."
"This is our first sponsorship of an Arab and Asian league. Our goal is to create a strong bond between MasterCard and the country's football fans. MasterCard understands that football is an extremely popular sport for Saudi people and our sponsorship of the ZSL reflects our overall commitment to this market.
"Sport sponsorship is a key component of our global marketing strategy and we feel confident that our efforts in supporting Saudi football will yield significant benefits for all Saudi fans as well as for the sport itself," he added.
MasterCard's global football sponsorship portfolio includes the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and CONCACAF Cup.
"We intend to leverage our exclusive ZSL rights in the financial services sponsorship category to cement our market position as a leading global payment solutions provider," said Alhamedi Alanezi, country manager, Saudi Arabia, MasterCard Worldwide.
Qusai, Saudi Arabia's first rapper, said: "The MasterCard football song adds a cultural connotation and a musical dimension to the overall Saudi football experience. The lyrics of the song reflect today's modern Saudi society and people's passion for football and they invoke a sense of togetherness and fair play."
The 32-year-old Riyadh-born, Jeddah-raised singer believes the song epitomizes this passion for the game. "MasterCard wanted a song that expresses the Saudis' love for and dedication to football and 'Everyone Can Play' does just that, in a hip hop kind of way. I am thrilled to be part of such an exciting project," stated Qusai.
- Ends -About MasterCard Worldwide
As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2010, $2.7 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network - the fastest payment processing network in the world - MasterCard processes over 23 billion transactions each year and has the capacity to handle 160 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 130 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro®, and Cirrus®; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass™ and MasterCard inControl®. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit us at www.mastercard.com. Follow us on Twitter: @mastercardnews.
For more information, please contact:
Diab F. Nassar, GolinHarris -KSA,
Mobile: +966-5-45526466;
E-mail: dnassar@golinharris.com
© Press Release 2011
