NBS Bank dresses Mafco

NBS Bank plc are Mafco FC’s 2022 TNM Super League season kit sponsors, the Malawi Defence force (MDF) outfit has announced.

Mafco vice-chairperson Cedric Allan Chisale said the bank presented to the Salima-based outfit sets of uniforms on Monday at Malawi Armed Forces College (Mafco).

Chisale said in an interview that the support was timely and has boosted the team’s morale ahead of the new season.

He said: “This is a long-term agreement with NBS Bank and it demonstrates on our part the interest that the corporate world has in the game. We are really grateful.” 

NBS senior cluster manager for Central and Northern regions, Justin Chikaonda said in an interview that the bank critically supports efforts to commercialise the game; hence the move to partner with the side which finished eighth in the league last season.

Initially, TNM plc were providing uniforms to all TNM Super League clubs. However, Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and the sponsors agreed that from the 2022 season, the sponsors will no longer hold exclusive shirt rights.

The arrangement allowed clubs clubs to sign shirt sponsorship deals with companies.

Selling advertising space on football jerseys has become highly lucrative and contributes up to a third of top clubs’ revenue, according to The Economist.

When English Premier League side Manchester United signed a lucrative seven-year deal with Chevrolet before the 2014-15 season, revenue from kit sponsorships reached £64 million in the 2019/20 season.

The Manchester United  and Chevrolet deal was worth £19 million more annually than the agreement between Etihad Airways and cross-city rivals, Manchester City.

Apart from Mafco, other MDF outfits Moyale Barracks and Kamuzu Barracks also clinched shirt sponsorship deals..