BFL, BFA told to make football attractive

Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday August 3, 2024 06:00

Local sport has struggled to attract sponsors, with the most popular code, football, one of the hardest hit. FNB Botswana will become the elite league title sponsor ahead of the start of the next season with a deal worth P9.5 million per season for the next three years. FNB Botswana will direct an additional fund of over P5 million to the development of the local game. Bogatsu, speaking during the unveiling of the FNB-sponsored league logo, name, and trophy on Thursday, said the banking institution has decided to take a 'gamble' to partner with football despite the negative cloud that has hovered over the code for a long time. 'For a very long time, corporate Botswana has been accused of not supporting sports and football in particular in Botswana.

We have taken this opportunity as FNB despite all the challenges that we read about in the media about football, to sponsor football because we believe that all the challenges that you are facing are challenges that are faced by most football communities in various countries,' Bogatsu said. He further said FNB has decided to be part of the development of football and partner with the Botswana Football League (BFL) with the belief that the local football leadership will rise above the challenges they are facing. Bogatsu argued that these are not insurmountable challenges, and not unique to Botswana, as the situation locally is similar to those in neighbouring countries and some of the best leagues in the world.

He said FNB hopes that the league will be run along good principles so as to inspire the bank to do even more after the three years of the partnership. 'We are today announcing a three-year partnership but I am very confident (that) if football puts its act together and we do what we are supposed to do, all of us as football lovers, as administrators, as coaches, and as players, we will take the sport forward and you will inspire not only FNB but the entire corporate community in Botswana to get involved in football. I am looking forward to this partnership and I know we can make a success of it, as the kika symbol that has just been announced we will partner to refine this product in order to make it palatable to the rest of the community,' said Bogatsu.

The BFL will this season run on a budget of P16.5 million, with the P9.5 million injection from FNB and the P7 million from a three-year broadcast deal with the Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS). For his part, BFL CEO, Bennett Mamelodi, promised that the BFL would be accountable, compliant, credible, and bring value as the driving force during the new partnership with FNB Botswana. The 2024-2025 FNB Premiership season will begin on September 21. The prize money and the fixtures will be revealed in due course before the start of the campaign.