The South African Rugby Union (Saru) and its publishing partner Highbury Safika Media on Wednesday dismissed media reports of a breakdown in their relationship and of pending legal action over the trade name of SA Rugby magazine.
Highbury Safika Media, formerly Highbury Monarch Communications, publishes Saru’s quarterly publication Fifteen, among several other titles in its stable. The existing contract runs until the end of 2007 and current talks have focused on an extension of the contract.
Saru CEO Johan Prinsloo stressed that the union is in discussions with Highbury Safika Media over the use of ”SA Rugby” in the monthly magazine SA Rugby, and these discussions are progressing positively.
”The SA Rugby trademark was registered by the SA Rugby Union in Class 16 in 1999 and our lawyers have provided an opinion regarding SA Rugby rights when we looked at all our commercial properties and subsequent rights.
”Highbury Safika Media, our publishing partner for the last three years and also publishers of SA Rugby magazine, have also provided an opinion on the rights to SA Rugby magazine, which is an independent publication.
”Currently, the trademark is a discussion point, and contrary to media speculation we have made no threats and Highbury have made no demands,” said Prinsloo. ”Highbury have just completed a BEE [black economic empowerment] deal, which we obviously supported as it means our publishing partner is now a South African-owned company.
”They kept us informed as to the empowerment deal and we want to put on record that we look forward to the continued professional relationship.”
Highbury Safika Media CEO Kevin Ferguson said that as publisher for Fifteen and several of the official Saru Test-match programmes, the relationship with Saru has always been good. Ferguson expressed annoyance at the misinformation reported in the media.
”We found the reports to be malicious and an attempt to undermine our relationship with Saru. We are having discussions relative to SA Rugby magazine and we are confident that any issue that could arise would be resolved.
”We value our relationship with South African rugby as it extends to a very strong union like
Western Province, whose Super 12 and provincial match programmes we publish.
”Reports that we are in a dispute or any kind of fight with Saru are incorrect.” — Sapa