Sponsor-less league to get more live games
Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday October 7, 2023 06:00
Speaking during the 2023–2024 Botswana Football League (BFL) season, CEO Senzo Mbatha said efforts to get a sponsor hit a brick wall. He said negotiations only started after the companies were already into their new financial years. He said the BFL's target will be to resume talks early next year and they expect positive feedback by March 2024.
"We have to show value as the league. We have to ensure that we show the reasons for people to be attached to us. So I can tell you that because we started looking for a title sponsor around May or June, obviously most companies start (their financial years) from March to December. Our target was to close on one title sponsor this year but it was not, so we are looking at the first quarter of 2024," Mbatha said.
The BPL has not had a sponsor since the end of a P40 million deal with Botswana Telecommunications Company (BTC) in the 2019–2020 season. Mbatha said most key players in the private sector are keeping their pockets tight and not willing to spend a larger chunk on the BPL. He said the BFL has agreed deals with partners to keep the league afloat for this season.
The Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) remains on board as the premier broadcasting partner. In addition, there is Emergency Assist 991 which will provide emergency care assistance at all the league games for this season. Emergency Assist 991 will also provide First Aid Kits to all 16 teams and First Aid training level three to the team's medics. South African sports and entertainment network, Vision View TV has come on board and will beam the games on a view-per-subscription method for the next three years.
ViB Mobile is part of the new BFL partners' lot and will primarily focus on fan engagement. Mbatha said the BFL has engaged an independent consultant to help generate funds through on-field advertising boards. He also said there would be an increase in the games broadcast live this season. Botswana Television (Btv) has committed to 60 live games this season and two per match day.
This would be an increase from last season's 49 live games. Vision View TV will have an additional four games on each match day thus bringing it to a total of six live matches per week. This is, however, not limited to weekend fixtures as per Mbatha but extends to midweek matches, meaning this season will have the highest number of televised matches.