True marriage that brings change to football

Sport
FOR a long time, local football sponsors have failed to co-exist, thereby causing a lot of mayhem and despondence in the domestic league.

FOR a long time, local football sponsors have failed to co-exist, thereby causing a lot of mayhem and despondence in the domestic league.

Report by Brian Nkiwane

The mayhem has at times forced out other sponsors, while others sought prohibitive clauses in their contractual agreements that would favour them at the expense of the clubs.

This scenario has not worked in favour of the “beautiful game” of football at all, as most of these clubs always cry foul at the end of the day.

Its either the main sponsor of the club blames other sponsors that would want to come on board for “ambush marketing” or the sponsor trying to come on board blames the main sponsor of trying to “monopolise” everything in the deal.

All this confusion has disadvantaged clubs who have struggled to survive on also, single sponsorship, especially those that also take part in the CAF Champions League, as well as the Confederation Cup.

These tournaments would demand a lot, thereby calling for co-sponsorship.

The Great War in co-sponsorship has been on the labeling of the kits as sponsors jostle for the front part of the shirt.

But for once, I would like to applaud the main sponsors of Dynamos Football Club, BancABC, a leading financial institution and Mbada Diamonds for what has become a true marriage in Zimbabwean football as far as football co-sponsorship is concerned.

The two giants have come together for a meaningful cause as DeMbare invade the African Safari in the Champions League.

For a change, there has been calm at the club in terms of salaries, allowances and the general working conditions.

We used to know that by this time of the year, there would be chaos at the club with players demanding their outstanding salaries, allowances in this particular case, maybe winning bonuses for the first leg of the Champions League match against LCS of Lesotho as well as the Bob89 match against Highlanders.

But the coming together of the two giants has brought a major change in the way things are now happening at the club.

Just turning back the hands of time two years back, DeMbare was stuck at the airport as the club struggled to raise airfares and other things that also included allowances.

This time around, everything has been moving swiftly with all the services being paid for on time.

I think its high time the corporate world see the importance of co-existence in clubs as co-sponsors, as it reduces the burden from one sponsor who at the end of the day may end up opting to chicken out after failing to bear the costs.

This has been a true marriage which has seen sponsors, players and the club enjoying the fruits. It would be good if all sponsors could join the noble cause.

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