NAM commercial drive gathers dust

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) is yet to start its commercialisation drive four years after announcing the plans, it has emerged.

The association declared in 2019 that it was embarking on the initiative to help the Malawi National Netball Team, the Queens to be financially stable and spur netball development in the country.

Currently, NAM heavily relies on government funding for the national netball team’s activities and the association’s general secretary Isaac Chimwala admitted this affects the Queens.

He said: “At the time we were about to put things together for the process to start, there were some internal wrangles that spoiled everything and coming back to it was very difficult.”

However, Chimwala said they plan to embark on the drive in 2024.

“We will start the process ahead of the next season. We have learnt a bitter lesson and there is no need for further delays. We cannot go on begging when the game of netball can ably generate own income,” he said.

Chimwala said that among the income-generating activities they will put in place include the re-introduction of entry fees for netball fans to watch matches and affiliation fees for all NAM members. They will also the enhance Queens’ replica uniform sales.

He said: “At present, NAM members such as clubs, regional committees and umpires are only affiliated by word, meaning they do not pay any fee as members.

“Our games have also been free of charge for a long time, a development that makes us lose income that could help us grow the game. Things will change for the better from next season.”

Just last month, the Queens missed the Netball Africa Championships in Botswana after the Malawi National Council of Sports told them that  government funding was not available.

Malawi needed at least K123 million to prepare and compete in the continental showpiece that Zambia eventually won.

“The Queens only escaped the risk of dropping from their sixth position on World Netball rankings after their rivals South Africa’s Spar Proteas and Uganda’s She Cranes also failed to take part.

The national netball team also enjoys financial support from the FDH Bank plc but they exhausted their allocation after participating in the recent 2023 Fast 5 World Netball Series in New Zealand.

National Netball Umpires Committee chairperson Faggie Mwalweni said it is a good idea to start the commercialisation process as that is the only best solution to Queens’ funding woes.

“But I have some reservations on the payment of affiliation fees. While it is a good arrangement for it is the norm everywhere, that will be difficult with us because  we are mere sub-committees that also look up to NAM for financial support,” she said.

Marketer Chimwemwe Nyirenda, who is also a netball follower, yesterday said it is a pity that NAM’s commercialisation process has been frozen for years.

But he said that the process will not work when the local netball governing body establishes a vibrant physical office complete with an accountant and a marketing officer.

“I don’t know why up to now NAM is yet to have a vibrant secretariat and has not recruited an accountant and a marketer. These are the first things the association must do before they can think of rolling out the commercialisation drive,” said Nyirenda.