Chiefs defend 10-year DC Tours deal
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Saturday February 11, 2023 06:00
Ingratiatingly, Kobe said most cannot be paid in a short period hence the decision to enter a long-term agreement with DC Tours. Last week, the two parties announced a 10-year sponsorship worth P68 million.
The deal drew pessimism from the football family, expressing doubt over the sustainability of the deal, with many saying it is ‘too good to be true’. "However, the reality is no one was ready for this change and therefore expect all the negative and positive energy on the matter," Kobe said.
He said the 10-year deal is justified considering that the club has accumulated debts in the past and the deal will help settle the arrears while also providing continuity in the running of the football club.
“Our aim is not to create more debts but to service the current and past debts, so we believe the 10 years will allow the committee to clear its debt and at the same time accumulate more wealth through the sponsorship. What we have realised is that all those investing in football have not been telling people the truth about football expenditure, even those sourcing sponsorships at federation level or club level are not doing enough figurative research on football expenses,” Kobe said.
He said grants distributed to teams must equate to the actual expense of the team's campaign in the league.
He said the reality is that people lack public education on running football versus expenses and what football expects from administrators financially. Kobe also stated that until such a time when teams like Orapa United and BDF XI can put the real cost of running football on the table, these hidden costs are actual costs to financiers but they are always left behind when itemising costs. “Football is not only players' and coaches’ salaries. It includes transport to games, equipment, players' clothing, ground maintenance, security, ambulance, lodging, meals (special diet), etc, so at Mochudi Centre Chiefs we quantified these costs to the last thebe.
In a weekend, to host a game we need around P25,000 that is only on match day, weekly preparations we need around P10,000, whilst an away game costs around P45,000 inclusive of camp, food, and transport.” He said the two parties will soon come up with a model that will best suit their operations. The commercial model, however, will not exclude the society.
Kobe said there are no immediate plans to dissolve the society as it has burden on immovable properties. He elucidated the aim is to accumulate more properties through the society as this shall benefit the members. In future, Kobe said, the club will engage Botswana Stock Exchange CEO, Thapelo Tsheole to help the commercial wing list on the local bourse.
“That is where Batswana can participate in the market share of MCC, as this is the only way MCC can be a public company,” he said. Kobe said everyone, from the players and technical team, as well as tribal administration, is happy with the latest developments. Meanwhile, Kobe revealed that construction of toilets and change rooms at Skanska Riverplate Ground would commence at the end of this month. For the perimeter wall, they anticipate construction to begin end of April and make way for laying the turf. “While this will be ongoing, my committee intends to acquire two properties for tourism activities in the north of Botswana. This must be achieved before year-end. Our aim is to be financially stable and capitalise on our shareholding after the successful commercialisation of the club, and these properties will be registered under the society,” he said.