The deal will be a renewal of a partnership signed in 2019, with the arrangement seeing BRFA get P200,000 per season.
Boteti is the only region that boasts a solid sponsorship for its Division One and women’s league.
The Division One league is sponsored by Lucara.
This week BRFA chairperson, Phillimon Bunu told Mmegi Sport that the renewal of the sponsorship is a sign of confidence by the mining giant toward the region. “Our league has become so organised since the first sponsorship in 2019. The sponsorship will help us fulfill our goal of improving the women’s league in the region.
The league is now very competitive because of the sponsorship from Debswana,” he said. Bunu said more teams have expressed a desire to participate in the women’s league because it is now attractive as it boats a solid sponsorship. “Next season the league will have 10 teams. In the previous season, we had six teams. The new four teams will be from Mokubilo, Letlhakane, and Mopipi.
It is worth noting that Orapa United have also formed a women’s team and it will be part of the league next season,” Bunu said. Before the Debswana sponsorship, teams in the women’s league, which has existed in the region since 2009, struggled to compete due to financial challenges. The Debswana sponsorship is used to purchase kits, pay referees, and other logistics associated with running the league. OLDM has in recent times upped its support for women's football.
The company organised a senior women’s team, The Mares' training camp in Orapa as part of preparations for the ongoing Women's Africa Cup of Nations finals. Meanwhile, Bunu said the regional association will hold awards for its Division One league and the women’s league tomorrow. The awards will be held before the unveiling of Debswana’s sponsorship.
Zowa United were crowned champions in the Lucara-backed Division One league while Orapa All-Stars were the women’s league winners. “All teams will receive prize money depending on their position in the league. For the Division One league, the winner will pocket P25,000 while the winner in the women’s league will take home P20,000.”
