Big teams gang up against Sulom, FAM

Malawi’s major football teams are demanding an immediate review of gate revenue shares, saying the current system is exploitive and does not benefit the clubs.

Mighty Wanderers, Big Bullets and Silver Strikers have put aside their on-field rivalry and ganged up against Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and Football Association of Malawi (FAM), arguing that clubs are getting a raw deal even after raising gate entry charges for selected matches involving the three teams.

The teams have also revived their demand that Sulom and FAM should stop getting 10 percent each from the net gate collections, saying they do not deserve it.

The development comes in the wake of the K6.1 million (about $15 250) gross revenue from Saturday’s TNM Super League encounter between Silver and Nomads from which the two teams went away with K1.3 million (about $3 250) each.

Said Nomads general secretary David Kanyenda: “The money which clubs got was less than half of the gross and yet games involving the three teams [Wanderers, BB and Silver] were hiked to K500 [about $1.25] so that teams could benefit more.

“But as it is, there is no difference since the sharing formula is the same. If anything, clubs must share 50 percent because fans pay at the stadium to watch their teams and, therefore, deserve better. This is daylight robbery, it is totally unacceptable.”

He added: “Systems must be changed completely or if anything, we should revert to the K200 [about $0.50] standard entry fee. Kapena kuli bwino anthu azilowa ulele, chifukwa palibe chimene matimu akupindula [perhaps entry should be free because teams are not benefitting anything].”

Commenting on Sulom and FAM’s 10 percent share each from the net gate proceeds, Kanyenda said: “We already raised this concern at the pre-season stakeholders’ meeting. FAM delegated Sulom to run the league and they also get funding from government, CAF and Fifa. Why then should they claim a percentage from the proceeds?

“Similarly, Sulom also gets affiliation and administration fees from clubs and sponsors respectively, and, therefore the 10 percent claim from gate proceeds is not justified.”

Bullets GS Higger Mkandawire said they were the first to raise concerns after noting that clubs were getting a raw deal.

“When we first raised the issue, Sulom played it down and yet teams are struggling financially because, among other things, the majority of the gate proceeds go to other stakeholders.

“Players need to be rewarded for their sweat and what the clubs get from gate collections is peanuts,” said Mkandawire.

Silver chairperson Dr. McDonald Mafuta-Mwale said: “We also share the concern and it is time the issue must be resolved once for all.

“As clubs, we need to take appropriate steps and see to it that our concerns are addressed. Otherwise, we’ll keep on complaining and nothing will change.”

However, Sulom GS Williams Banda on Monday said the issue the teams were raising was constitutional in nature and needs to be reviewed at various levels, including Parliament.

But Kanyenda countered: “Constitutions aren’t cast or drafted in iron. The Constitution is there to serve the interests of people and not to oppress us.

“They must amend the Constitution. We will work with other clubs because we are all suffering. If they [Sulom and FAM] cannot serve the interests of the clubs, then maybe they should try other disciplines such as bawo or squash.”

After paying all other stakeholders, Super League teams get 25 percent each from net proceeds, ground owners also get 25 percent. FAM and Sulom get 10 percent each whereas Sports Council gets five percent.

FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda said as of on Monday, they had not received any formal complaint from Wanderers or any club regarding the share that FAM and Sulom get from local matches.

Nyirenda justified FAM’s 10 percent claim on league games of 10 percent, saying just like all national football associations, FAM depends on the match day revenue to assist in the development and promotion of the game.

“Each year we train referees, coaches, administrators. The recent coaching course [CAF B-licence] FAM spent K7 million (about $17 500) and coaches trained were from the same clubs. We used the gate collections to do so,” he said.