One of the country’s netball giants Tigresses have lost their K20 million sponsorship from Lilongwe Dairy (2001) Limited, ending a five-year romance.
Both the club and the company have confirmed parting ways.
The development comes at a time the club is about to compete in the inaugural FDH Bank Premier National Netball League, which will require more funding to meet allowances, travel and accommodation costs.
Tiga, as Tigresses are fondly known, contribute at least four players to the Malawi National Netball Team, the Malawi Queens, who are ranked eighth in the world and third in Africa.
Lilongwe Dairy sales and marketing manager Gabriel Chirwa yesterday said the food and beverages company did not renew sponsorship upon expiry, but was elusive on the reasons.
“Yes, we are not renewing the contract with Tigresses. The deal was a success but, in any sponsorship marriage, there is always a cut-off point,” he said.
While thanking the company for sponsoring the club for years, Tigresses vice-team manager Ruth Kaipa-Chimombo yesterday described the development as a huge setback.
She said the club has already started feeling the pinch, having lost at least four key players who have since joined financially-stable clubs.
“As officials, we are also digging deep into our personal pockets to fund operations of the club. It is a big setback and we foresee more challenges as we begin our campaign in the inaugural FDH Bank Premier National League,” Kaipa-Chimombo said.
“We, therefore, plead with the corporate world or well-wishers to come to our rescue.”
In 2022, the comfort of having sponsorship helped Tigresses to win the Rainbow Paints Blantyre and Districts Netball League title for the first time in five seasons.
Lilongwe Dairy started sponsoring Tigresses in 2019 when they came up with a three-year package worth K10 million annually. Then, Tigresses had been without a sponsor for three years.
The team was initially sponsored by the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation before former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika took over.
It was also, at one time, sponsored by the College of Medicine, now Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Sports Complex.
Over the years, the team has produced big-name players such as current coach Peace Chawinga-Kalua, Kaipa-Chimombo, Linda Magombo-Munthali, Laureen Ngwira, Grace Mwafulirwa-Mhango and Sindi Simtowe-Msowoya.
