Time for sponsorship hunt

Sport
insidesport:with MICHAEL KARIATI ZIMBABWEAN football might not take to the field this year, but there are good times ahead only if the right foundation is laid down for football seasons to come.

insidesport:with MICHAEL KARIATI

ZIMBABWEAN football might not take to the field this year, but there are good times ahead only if the right foundation is laid down for football seasons to come.

The good news is that Delta Beverages have committed themselves to continue bankrolling both the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League race as well as the Chibuku Super Cup should the environment permit for action to resume.

One football follower jokingly asked whether Delta Beverages would double their financial offer for the 2021 soccer season now that finances budgeted for the 2020 season were not used.

It would be good — in as far as income is concerned — for both clubs and the players — should Delta decide that way since they are the only sponsor that our football knows of at the moment.

It is heartening that the PSL have managed to hang onto Delta for that long and in the process preventing the events of the year 2010 when Motor Action were not rewarded for winning the league title.

Even up to now, Charles Sibanda, who won the 2010 Soccer Star of the Year Award, is still waiting for the prize he was promised by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority 10 years ago.

Times have, however, changed and what happened to Motor Action and Sibanda has not happened to our game since 2011 when Dynamos’ Washington Arubi was crowned the Castle Soccer Star of the Year.

What, however, is disturbing is that our football is relying too much on Delta Beverages and unfortunately there has not been any efforts to find other corporate sponsors to complement their efforts.

Fine, there are contractual attachments with regard to the sponsorship of the Castle Lager PSL championship. But why has there been no sponsorship for more cup competitions to complement the existing Chibuku Super Cup?

The Chibuku Super Cup is, and has for years, been the only knockout tournament in Zimbabwe and the question is: What will happen to our football should Delta Beverages one day decide to pull out of the one and only knockout competition we have?

Delta made it clear when they came on board that they were there to keep the game running so that other sponsors would come in to bankroll not only individual clubs, but other tournaments as well.

That was nine years ago and up to now Delta remains the only sponsor not only for the PSL league championship, but also for the biggest knockout tournament in the land.

 Ironically, in every Zifa election, the election manifestos have been dominated by promises of sponsorship galore. Sadly, though, those promises have always gone with the wind immediately one was elected into office.

The fact, however, remains that Zimbabwean football needs to retain the excitement of the good old days when in between league matches, there were knockout tournaments which used to raise the tempo.

There was a time in the 80s and early 90s when stadiums were full to the brim as fans flocked to watch the Rothmans Shield, BAT Rosebowl, Chibuku Trophy, and Zifa Cup.

These days stadiums are deserted and clubs like Dynamos and Highlanders which used to attract crowds of around 30 000 or so are struggling to attract a crowd of 10 000 people because the football programme is no longer attractive.

Yes, league matches are good because they keep the game running, but more knockout tournaments means more fans to stadiums and increased income for both the clubs and the players.

That is what Zimbabwean football needs right now — something that keeps football fans entertained while at the same time increasing revenue for the clubs.

Instead of sitting down, discussing as to when football should return to the fields, in these Covid-19 times, the PSL and Zifa should be busy running around sourcing sponsorship to bankroll knockout tournaments starting with the 2021 season.

It can be done. If netball can attract such a massive $5 million sponsorship, why can’t football get more sponsors of a bigger magnitude?

It is a fact that Covid-19 has affected a lot of things, but it does not stop the PSL and Zifa from hunting for sponsors. Football must return stronger and different in 2021 with more trophies on offer.

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