Dynamos, Highlanders, Masvingo United and Monomotapa were all fined US$900 each for the breach of the leagues’ rules and regulations – failing to display the Castle Lager logo on their kit during league matches.
In a letter to all stakeholders, Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele said the league would be descending hard on teams that breach the premiership rules and regulations.
“We note with great concern that some clubs have not branded their playing kits with the sponsor’s logo.
“This is unacceptable and breach of the league’s rules and regulations. Please be advised that with immediate effect, no player will be allowed to participate in a Castle Lager League match wearing a kit without the sponsor’s logo and name tags,” said the correspondence.
PSL chairman Twine Phiri said their sponsor, Delta Beverages through their brand Castle Lager, demanded to have only the top left part of the players’ jersey and the other areas were left for the club to use for their own sponsorship.
“Our sponsor was not all that greedy. They asked PSL to have one shoulder part for their logo and left other shoulder part and the entire front space for clubs to source their own sponsorship. I think it’s a workable environment as the main sponsor of the league is giving clubs room to source other sponsors,” Phiri said.
The correspondence also highlighted great concern over players who enter the field of play without nametags on their playing kits.
“This has to stop with immediate effect”, stated the correspondence.Last year a number of players would play in the unbranded league wearing jerseys from other tournament like BancABC and at times with wrong name tags.PSL and Delta Beverages clinched a three year sponsorship deal valued at US$600 000 and its subject to renewal after its expiry. The deal came as a relief to Zimbabwean football as the league had gone for two year without sponsorship.The sponsor will go a mile in sponsoring individual awards to outstanding players in a number of categories Soccer Star of the Year, Top Goal scorer of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Most promising player under the age of 20, Coach of the Year, Referee of the Year, prize money to the league champion pegged at US$70 000 and to award the league’s most disciplined club of the league.
