Super League gate revenue hits K916m

TNM Super League gate revenue gross has increased to at least K916 million in the 2023 season from the previous K588 million.

Super League of Malawi (Sulom) president Fleetwood Haiya said during a press conference in Blantyre yesterday that the 55.86 percent improvement is because of the body’s strategy to revive, reform and rebrand the league by making it attractive, competitive and professional.

He said: “We had a joint supporters committee to help make the league violent-free; hence, attracting a lot of spectators to our games. Of course, there was an issue in Karonga, but one incident could not steal the shine.”

Haiya, who was accompanied by Sulom  vice-president Gilbert Mittawa, executive committee member Chimwemwe Nyirenda and chief executive officer Faith Mzungu-Vilakati, described their first season as a success.

.He said: “We had an elite flame of hope for our beautiful game and we managed to achieve this success as a team. We thank teams for their commitment and competitiveness.

“To relegated teams, there is always a next time. We can achieve more if we continue to hold hands together and live our dream.”

On his part, Mittawa said their efforts to make the league attractive and competitive also manifested in the league winners and the last relegated team being determined on the last day of the fixtures.

“The establishment of full-time secretariat, the effecting of one game per team per week policy and the advance payment to referees also contributed to this success,” he said.

Earlier this week, Haiya announced that annual subvention for each of the 16 Super League teams will be doubled  to K20 million. Two seasons ago, the subvention was K1 million.

He said they have already engaged sponsors TNM plc on the impact of the recent devaluation of the kwacha on teams’ operations and they hope things will be much better next season.

“There are also multiple sponsors coming in on other aspects of the game. This season, we had the Farmers Organisation bankrolling the man of the match awards,” said Haiya.