M-Net Television purchased Pretoria City FC in July 1994. The strategy behind the purchase of a soccer club by M-Net was two fold:

1. M-NET wanted to become involved with local soccer, not necessarily only through television rights, but by buying a struggling team which they could build into one of the better teams in the country.

The future of decoder purchases lies with the emerging market and soccer is beyond doubt the most popular sport in South Africa - so the creation of strong brand awareness within soccer made sense to the long term goals of M-NET.

2. To qualify for the CAF competition in Africa within three years (and as often as possible thereafter) and therefore use the team as a marketing tool for the Supersport Television Channel that broadcasts sport into Africa.

Coinciding with the purchase of the club was the purchase of a number of high profile local soccer players.

Even with the new acquisitions the team continued to struggle in the lower rungs of the league, and consequently was relegated to the 2nd division at the end of 1994. The second division gave the team character and perseverance.

They were never toppled from the top of the Northern Transvaal stream, winning the stream and going into the national playoffs with the winners of the three other streams in the country. Pretoria City FC won the 2nd division of the NSL and was promoted to the 1st division at the end of 1995. Not only was the team successful in the 2nd division by winning the league, but also in the National Cup competition - The Bob Save Superbowl.

Pretoria City went on to play in the final of the Bob Save Superbowl but unfortunately lost 3-2 against Cape Town Spurs (who also won the 1st division title).

This was the first time in South African soccer history that a 2nd division soccer team had reached the final of the National Cup competition and thereby qualified to play in the Confederation of African Football Cup Winners Cup Competition for Second and Third division teams.

One of the most significant off the field developments was the decision of the M-Net backed Pretoria City Board to apply to change the name of the Club to Supersport United Football Club and thereby start the process of maximising brand awareness and applying the sound commercial principles that had made M-NET a financial success in broadcasting as well as their other sports holdings.

M-NET made application to the NSL to change the name to Supersport United FC and this was duly agreed during the NSL’s Annual General Meeting.

Supersport United FC was born.

Since 1997 Supersport United have been relatively consistent performers in the Premier Soccer League and in 1999 they won the Bob Save Superbowl – beating Kaizer Chiefs in the final.

Club highlights:

2009-10