The Sharks unveiled a brand-new identity on Thursday as they entered a bold new era, and as part of this re-launch they have penned an open letter to all their fans:
OPEN LETTER TO OUR SHARKS FAMILY
From Marco Masotti, Controlling Owner – Sharks Rugby Club
There is a seat in the South East Stand at Hollywoodbets Kings Park that I will never forget.
It was nothing special to look at. The kind of seat that left a mark on the back of your legs on a hot Durban afternoon. But to me, that seat was everything. It was where I sat with my father, Venio Masotti. It was where I first understood what it meant to belong to something bigger than myself.
I remember the noise. I remember the pride. I remember looking at my father after a try had been scored and realising that supporting The Sharks was about more than rugby. It was about family. It was about our province. It was about identity.
I left that stadium a Shark for life.
I never imagined that one day I would have the privilege – and the responsibility – of helping shape this club's future.
Becoming the controlling owner of The Sharks was never a business decision. It was the decision of a supporter who couldn’t stand on the sidelines any longer. Everything we have done since has been guided by one simple responsibility:
To improve this club and institutionalise the excellence it deserves.
That responsibility has shaped every decision we have made, including the difficult ones.
Last season did not reflect the standards of this club or the expectations of our supporters. That is not to say the last few seasons have been without success – some rank among the most successful in this club's history. But we have learned from them too: about how to build something more sustainable than the inconsistency that has too often defined this club.
Many of you remained loyal when loyalty was costly. Others stepped away, not because you stopped caring, but because caring had become difficult. I understand both.
I don't ask for blind faith today. I ask only that you judge us by the work now taking shape – on the field, off the field and in the culture we are building throughout this club.
Today we unveil the most significant evolution in The Sharks' professional history. Not because we wanted a new badge. But because we believe this club deserves a stronger future.
If all we wanted was a new logo, it would never have been worth putting our supporters through this change. This is about something much bigger than design.
It is about ensuring that thirty years from now another young supporter can fall in love with this club just as I did.
Many people will ask why we chose to do this.
The answer begins with who we are. The Sharks have never been a club that waits for the game to change around it. We have always believed in helping shape where rugby goes next. We did it in 1996 when we became The Sharks. We did it by embracing transformation. We did it by pioneering new ways of engaging supporters through media and digital platforms.
Leading this next evolution is not a departure from our history. It is a continuation of it.
But there is another reason - professional sport has changed. The clubs that thrive today are not only strong on the field. They are strong brands that grow communities, attract partners and create experiences supporters want to be part of.
That growth is not about commercial success for its own sake. It is what allows clubs to invest in players, coaches, academies and facilities. It is what creates long-term sustainability. If we want The Sharks to compete with the world's best, not only next season but for the next generation, we must continue evolving. This is not a vanity project. It is a commitment to building a stronger, more sustainable Sharks.
I know change of this magnitude is not easy. For many of you this badge is woven into your lives. It lives in family photographs, treasured jerseys and memories that stretch across generations. I feel that too. Which is why I want to say this as clearly as I can:
Our badge is evolving. Our DNA is not.
The hunger. The resilience. The courage. The pride of representing KwaZulu-Natal. The Black. The White. Those things are not changing. This evolution does not replace our history. It ensures our history has a future.
This club belonged to generations of supporters long before I became its owner. It will belong to generations long after I am gone. I have simply been entrusted with looking after it for a while. Every new supporter we inspire. Every meaningful partnership we build. Every investment we make back into rugby. Every young player who pulls on this jersey. All of it serves one purpose:
To hand this club to the next generation stronger than we received it.
You don't have to love every change immediately. I simply ask that you judge us by what this club becomes over the years ahead. Judge us by the rugby we play. Judge us by the people we produce. Judge us by the pride you feel wearing the Black and White.
Because this club has never belonged to an owner. It belongs to every player who has worn this jersey. Every supporter who has filled Hollywoodbets Kings Park. Every child who dreams of representing KwaZulu-Natal. My responsibility is simply to improve it and help institutionalise the excellence it deserves.
That is the promise I make to you today.
With enormous pride, and with the love of a lifelong Shark,
Marco Masotti
Sharks Rugby Club
BLACK WHITE FOREVER