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For most rugby supporters, the Stormers experience begins when the players run onto the field at DHL Stadium.

The noise rises, the lights flash across Green Point and more than 20 000 fans lean forward waiting for the first crunching collision.

But long before kickoff arrives, there is another side to modern rugby that most people never see: the branding meetings, sponsorship negotiations, digital campaigns, merchandise strategy, fan engagement plans and the constant pressure of keeping one of South Africa’s biggest sporting brands relevant in a rapidly changing world.

That is the world Leontine De Sutter operates in every day.

As Chief Commercial Officer of the Stormers, De Sutter sits at the centre of one of South African rugby’s biggest transformations, helping modernise a franchise with nearly three decades of identity attached to it, while also trying to grow a fan culture capable of filling a 53 000-seat stadium.

And with the Stormers preparing for a massive URC quarter-final against Cardiff this weekend, her role has perhaps never felt more important.

‘This is probably the most important time of the season for our supporters to come through for us,’ De Sutter told Cape {town} Etc.

‘This is knockout rugby now. This is not about points anymore or seeing where everybody ends up after another round. We’re either staying in this competition or we’re being knocked out, and the players genuinely feed off the energy that comes from the stands. The more fans we have there, the more belief and power it gives the team.’

Before entering the sports industry, De Sutter spent 16 years working in media agencies with global brands, including time in Australia, where she began seeing how powerful sport could become when storytelling and fan emotion were combined properly.

That experience changed how she viewed sports marketing entirely.

‘What became really apparent to me was just how emotionally invested people are in sport,’ she explained.

‘Fans are incredibly passionate about the teams they support, and when brands are able to authentically become part of that environment, it changes the relationship completely. Suddenly it’s not just advertising anymore. It’s storytelling, it’s shared experiences, and it’s creating moments that people remember. That’s why the commercial side of sport becomes so exciting: you’re not hard-selling to people. You’re building experiences around something they already deeply care about.’

That philosophy has shaped the Stormers’ commercial direction over the past two years.

When De Sutter joined the organisation, she believed the franchise had one of the strongest rugby identities in the country, but one that had not fully evolved with modern audiences.

‘The Stormers brand has been around for 28 years, and Western Province rugby history goes back over 140 years, so there’s an enormous amount of heritage attached to this team,’ she said.

‘But the brand was developed in a completely different era before smartphones, before social media and before sport became as digital-first as it is today. We felt there was a real need to modernise the brand in a way that respected the history but also allowed us to connect with younger audiences who engage with teams very differently now.’

That process led to one of the biggest changes in recent Stormers history, the rebrand.

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From a refreshed logo to the launch of the ‘In It Together’ campaign, the franchise intentionally repositioned itself around community, inclusivity and fan connection.

Not everyone welcomed the changes immediately.

De Sutter openly admits some long-time supporters struggled with the new direction at first.

‘I think there were definitely fans who experienced it almost like the stages of grief,’ she laughed.

‘There was anger, sadness, resistance and uncertainty because people are emotionally attached to the symbols and identity they grew up with. Particularly some of our older faithful supporters who’ve lived through so many eras of Stormers rugby. But over time, people began understanding why we were doing it.’

She believes performances on the field also helped supporters slowly embrace the new identity.

‘As the season progressed and people started seeing the energy around the team, the younger audiences engaging more and the momentum building around the new brand, opinions definitely shifted,’ she said.

‘Now we’re seeing supporters who initially rejected it fully buying into this new chapter.’

But for De Sutter, the biggest success has not been the logo itself.

It has been the atmosphere growing around the team.

‘What’s been really beautiful to watch is how diverse the fan base has become,’ she said.

‘When you look around DHL Stadium now, you see women, children, families and people from all different communities sitting together supporting one team. That’s incredibly powerful. Rugby spaces didn’t always look like that years ago. The move to DHL Stadium really opened the game up in many ways, and we celebrate that because the Stormers should belong to everybody.’

That sense of belonging sits at the heart of the ‘In It Together’ campaign.

According to De Sutter, the slogan reflects something the organisation genuinely believes internally.

‘Our fans breathe life into the team,’ she said.

‘And the players absolutely feel it. Whether it’s the old faithful supporters waiting outside the team bus in full costumes and earrings or kids attending their first-ever game, those moments matter to the squad more than people realise. The players notice those things. They feel supported by the city.’

Commercially, the Stormers are also growing into one of the strongest rugby brands in the URC.

The franchise reportedly attracts the highest average attendance figures in the competition at around 25 000 fans per game, while also producing some of the league’s biggest television audiences.

For De Sutter, though, sponsorships only work if they feel authentic.

‘We’re not interested in partnerships that are simply logo placements,’ she explained.

‘The brands we work with need to genuinely add to the fan experience and become part of the journey with us. Whether that’s through matchday activations, digital storytelling or community engagement, it needs to feel meaningful. That collaborative approach has been very important to us.’

One of the biggest commercial milestones under the new leadership structure was bringing adidas back as the Stormers’ technical apparel partner.

‘That was a major moment for us,’ she said.

‘Having a world-class technical partner matters not only commercially but emotionally too. When the players pull that jersey on, it represents something bigger than rugby. It represents identity, standards and ambition.’

Now attention turns fully toward Cardiff.

The Welsh side beat the Stormers a few weeks ago, a result De Sutter admits was difficult for the organisation to accept, particularly because it complicated the path toward hosting further playoff matches.

‘Losing that Cardiff game was definitely a hard pill to swallow,’ she admitted.

‘We always want to play in front of our fans because we know what this stadium can become during playoff rugby. But at the same time, this team has never really taken the straightforward route anywhere. There’s always a bit of a rollercoaster with the Stormers. It’s almost part of the DNA.’

Still, she remains confident.

Especially with this rematch taking place in Cape Town rather than on Cardiff’s artificial surface.

‘We’ve been very open about the fact that we don’t particularly enjoy playing on 4G surfaces,’ she said.

‘So getting the opportunity to face them again at home, on grass, in front of our own supporters, is exciting for everyone.’

As kickoff approaches, De Sutter says the focus inside the organisation remains simple: fill the stadium and create an atmosphere players will carry onto the field with them.

Because while rugby fans will remember the tries, tackles and final score, the people behind the scenes know something else matters too.

How the city feels when it comes together.

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