12 Sep 2019

Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) has sponsored the 2019-2020 Botswana Premier League (BPL) season with only P5 million.

In 2017, BTC injected P39 million for three seasons, with P13 million per season.

This therefore, means the company has reduced the sponsorship amount agreed in 2017.

Speaking at the sponsorship launch on September 11, BTC chief commercial officer, Edward Wicks explained that the P5 million would be used for only one season.

Wicks said the corporation had partnered with Botswana Football Association (BFA) and BPL for quite a number of years and would continue with positive growth and development of the local game.

“Local is key here. We are a local company and supporting a local league. We are making a big commitment to local football. We have done that for over a decade now, and we want to continue doing that,” he said.

He also said they came together to put a new deal on the table and agreed a way forward, adding it was their mandate to have value for their sponsorship.

Wicks, however said a lot still needed to be done in football in terms of professionalising the clubs and organisation of the game in Botswana.

He said in their effort to commercialise the game, both parties needed to lure supporters to the stadiums, as well as working closely with BPL and BFA to ensure that they both developed a product that was exciting, relevant and added value for all stakeholders.

Again, he said there was need to create an environment conducive for sponsors because that would help in the development of football.

“To that end, we put P5 million on the table to keep BPL moving this season and we hope this partnership will be fruitful and at the end of the season, we will be very happy with the product that we have developed,” he said.

BFA national executive committee member, Tsoseletso Magang said the association had always emphasised on development of athletes, but was unable to do such single-handedly.

“For the association to be able to implement its programmes, it needs resources and support. Anything, which would help us implement our programmes is always a welcome development,” she said. 

Further, she indicated that they appreciated BTC’s efforts ‘despite the negativity, which will be discussed at the right time, but we cannot deny it, and it means that as the football fraternity we need to give companies like BTC support and encouragement, for them to continue investing in sport,” she said.

BPL board chairperson, Seiphetlho Sefako, thanked BTC for sponsoring the league and pledged to ensure that all deliverables in the agreement were respected.

 

“We want to commit that we will work tirelessly to ensure that this friendship is taken to greater heights,” he said. ENDS