Sulom unpacks revised prizes

Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has unpacked the revised sponsorship package for the K100 million TNM Super League in full.

The sponsorship, which was hiked to K100 million from K90 million at the end of last season, has seen prize money for runners-up and third-placed team being doubled to K15 million and K7.5 million, respectively.

The most improved team will now be getting K2 million, up from K500 000.

The flagship League sponsors, TNM plc, already announced the K40 million champions’ prize during last season’s prize presentation ceremony.

In an interview yesterday, Sulom president Tiya Somba Banda said prizes for the fourth-placed team, which was pegged at K1.5 million and first round winners at K1 million have been scrapped.

Other prizes that have been removed include most disciplined team, most disciplined supporters and best technical panel.

While it was already announced that the Player of the Season will be carting home a K2 million, other individual prizes have also been increased.

On the other hand, the top scorer will now be getting K1 million, up from K200 000.

The best goalkeeper, defender and midfielder will be rewarded with K500 000 each, up from K200 000.

Newly-introduced categories include Coach of the Season and Rookie of the Season, with a cash prize of K500 000 each.

However, team subvention has been maintained at K1 million each despite clubs’ plea that it should be increased as it has not been revised since the sponsorship was launched in 2006.

While hailing TNM for the adjustments, Nyasa Big Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said team subvention should have also been increased.

He said: “We aim high as a club. Our focus is to win the championship and with K40 million up for grabs, we are more inspired to retain the championship.

“For other prizes, we are happy there are some improvements.

“However, subvention should have been improved to at least 2.5 million each team.”

Civil Service United general secretary Ronald Chiwaula also held the same view.

He said: “The sharing sounds a bit not convincing, the subvention should have been increased considerably.

“If you look at the cost of things and cost of living in general, you might agree that an increase in subvention was supposed to be considered and also bear in mind that most teams depend on this as starter-pack looking at the challenges we are experiencing with sponsors.”