SEA Games Adds Manufacturer Kubota, Pushing Sponsorship Total Above $52M

The total sponsorship secured for next month's Southeast Asian Games in Singapore has crossed the S$70M ($52.4M) mark, with Japanese machinery manufacturer Kubota "the latest to come on board," according to Adelene Wong of TODAY ONLINE. The company, headquartered in Osaka, has pledged a S$1M ($750,000) cash sponsorship for the biennial meet. The agreement also brings to 70 the total number of sponsors for the 28th SEA Games, which will be held from June 5-16. SEA Games Organizing Committee (SINGSOC) Chair Lim Teck Yin said, "The SEA Games represents a unique opportunity for 11 nations to come together ... and corporates see the value in leveraging the Games to connect with their customers across the region." More sponsorship announcements of both foreign and local firms for next month's SEA Games "are expected to be announced in the next two weeks." SINGSOC estimates the SEA Games will cost S$324.5M ($242.9M) to host, and had set a sponsorship target of S$50M ($37.43M) (TODAY ONLINE, 5/9).