Mumbai, India: In a crossover few saw coming but many will celebrate, Cricket South Africa announced today that global anime powerhouse Crunchyroll will serve as the Associate Team Sponsor for the Proteas Men during their upcoming tour of India, scheduled from 14 November until 19 December.
With the partnership, Crunchyroll brand blazes across all three formats: Tests, ODIs, and T20s- arguably the streamer’s biggest foray into international cricket thus far. It is a surprisingly natural marriage between two of the most impassioned, emotive, and highly dramatic fandoms in the world.
The move further underscores Crunchyroll’s growing global sports footprint, tapping into markets where the anime audience is not just huge but also phenomenally on the rise. With India standing as one of the world’s biggest cricketing nations and South Africa a firm favorite with global cricket audiences, the stage is set for an energetic meeting of cultures.
CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki, said :-
“CSA takes pride in welcoming Crunchyroll as the official team sponsor for the upcoming India Series. With anime becoming one of the world’s most dominant entertainment forces, soon to have over a billion viewers, we see this partnership as a celebration of shared values and a drive to connect with global audiences.”
Kartik Gandhi, Senior Vice President, Growth & Planning at Crunchyroll, said :-
“We’re thrilled to partner with Cricket South Africa for this exciting series with India. Cricket and anime both capture the intensity of competition and the joy of shared fandom. This partnership strengthens our ongoing focus on bringing together the worlds of sports and anime — combining the spirit of anime with cricket across two dynamic markets with growing anime fandoms: India and South Africa.“
