Malawi Super league gets K25m boost

• TNM Sponsorship package now at K90m, champions to get K15m

TNM, sponsors of the domestic flagship football league, have heard clubs’ loud cry to review the sponsorship package which has been hiked by K25 million (about $57 000).

The SL value has gone up from K65 million (about $153 000) to K90 million (about $210 000), representing a 40 percent increase.

The mobile phone network service provider has also increased prize money, which will see the champions carting home K15 million, up from K9 million, translating to 67 percent hike.

The runners-up prize money has been increased to K7 million from K4.5 million, representing a 56 percent jump, the third-placed team will get K4 million, up from K2.5 million, translating to a 60 percent hike whereas the fourth-placed team will now get K3.5 million up from K1.5 million translating to a 75 percent boost.

Fair play team will now get K800 000 up from K600 000, so too the most improved team.

The development was announced by TNM’s chief commercial officer Dan Makata during a press briefing held in Blantyre yesterday.

“As a responsive brand, TNM has noted the recent changes that have happened in the Malawi economy; hence, our decision to review the sponsorship package. Our current sponsorship contract which was at K65 million runs up to 2017, but TNM still felt duty- bound to review the package.

“It is my pleasure to announce the adjustment of the sponsorship package from K65 million to K90 million with the champions going away with K15 million,” said Makata. Excitement was the prevalent emotion from  Super League of Malawi (Sulom), which was represented at the event by its vice-president Daud Suleman and treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda.

One could see it in their body language that they were floating on air after the announcement. However, conspicuously missing from the event, were the clubs.

Makata described the hike as a milestone in TNM’s quest to uplift the standards of the game.

“While on paper our commitment has been K65 million, you may note that in 2013 TNM spent K105 million and K124 million was spent last season. All this effort by TNM is a manifestation of our passion to take the game to another level,” he said.

The TNM marketing head further said it is their belief that the new package will spur the level of competition in the domestic elite league to unprecedented level.

“I [also] wish to commend Sulom for the professional approach which characterised the discussions for the new package,” he concluded.

Suleman expressed gratitude to TNM for the hike, saying: “The announcement signifies one thing—that they [TNM] are there for the greens and greens mean growth, they have watered our football to grow.

“We are looking at fortified partnership that should take the game to another level; through this increase, we have received an extra punch which should spur the level of competition.”

He appealed to players to exercise diligence and fair play as the season rolls into life this Saturday and also appealed to the referees to take a firm line “without influence or favour”.

“To club officials, I say let us respect our constitution, let us instil professionalism into our game,” added Suleman.

Reacting to the hike, Mighty Wanderers general secretary Mike Butao and his Silver Strikers counterpart Mike Tembo, described it as a welcome development.

“Any improvement is welcome. We obviously wish if it were more, but you don’t shoot a gift horse in the mouth.

“From the K90 million, clubs ought to be sharing at least K60 million, but in this case clubs are sharing less than K20 million, which is less than a third of the money at stake,” said Butao.

Tembo said: “For a change, it is a positive development, it will definitely increase competition and create more excitement.

“However, Sulom should not be contented with that, they should negotiate for complementary sponsorship from other companies and organisations because the sponsorship agreement only restricts TNM competitors from getting on board.”