Bryan Habana launches app that can build athletes’ digital profiles financially

Former Springbok wing Bryan Habana says his newly-launched application, called MatchKit.co, will help athletes realise their digital footprints without infringing on the work of agents.

MatchKit.co helps athletes who aren’t able to streamline their online profiles into a single‚ consolidated unit.

The website builder allows athletes to showcase their profiles and sponsors‚ integrates social media platforms to streamline an athlete’s online presence and potential while also allowing for smoother online purchasing of services and goods that are related to athletes.

“The role of an agent is to try to find deals and try to commercialise a player’s opportunity.

“For example‚ if I was Kit-Kat and I wanted Faf de Klerk‚ where do I go to get hold of his management?

“If he doesn’t have his agency details on his social network pages‚ where do I go to find those details?

“I don’t think it’ll replace agents‚ but for the athletes‚ it’ll help to empower them with a consolidated environment which can showcase their brand‚” Habana said.

“I’ve got different platforms where people can send through information‚ so I constantly know what is happening.

“Sometimes‚ athletes don’t understand how much it costs to register a domain name and maintain a website. Quality websites don’t come cheap.”

Retroactive co-founder Mike Sharman said the platform is going to be very handy for athletes who may have lost out on the opportunity to market themselves this year because of the novel coronavirus.

The spread of the Covid-19 disease around the world has impacted hugely on sports with major tournaments being cancelled or postponed.

One of those are the 2020 Summer Olympics that were scheduled to take place in Tokyo from late July‚ but have been moved to next year.

“For many athletes‚ this should have been an Olympic year and for some athletes‚ they won’t make it to next year or their peak will have passed.

“They’ll try to find some sort of stop-gap between now and Tokyo 2021‚” Sharman said.

“You also need to think of the young school athletes who’ve lost a platform to showcase talents because of Covid-19.

“If we’re able to make them think of themselves as personal brands‚ they can let people know they exist.”

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