Gunners attract 1,000 new members in three months
Kabelo Boranabi | Friday May 14, 2021 15:26
The club has used the ongoing impasse on competitive football to run a countrywide membership registration campaign that started on February 20, 2021, and will run until May 21, 2021. The club has said prior to the campaign, despite its large following in the country, it had only 174 registered supporters. The numbers have since shot up to 1,134 in membership as of May 8, 2021.
Speaking to Mmegi Sport this week, the club’s public relations officer Gerald Mahumba said the numbers are impressive but still issued a rallying call for more members. The drive, he said, would aid in the club attracting investors.
“This is probably one of the highest if not the highest numbers of paid and officially paid members by any club in Botswana. These numbers are very impressive, as a club we have had a large following but not registered officially as members in our books. We did not have supporters registered in our database [then], but now that we have a good number in our database, we can go places, this will help us attract investors to the club.” “It is a relatively low number but it is the situation with society teams. You may find that this is the highest in the country, we are not entirely happy looking at the numbers with our community teams. The aim is to retain these numbers and add on before the membership drive ends,” Mahumba said. Gunners’ campaign has reached several places including Molepolole, Gabane, Mmathete, Kanye, Jwaneng, Goodhope and Mogoditshane and recently opened a new branch in Francistown.
The campaign is heading to Selebi-Phikwe this weekend and Ramotswa the next. “We are left with a few places to go, I must say that during these activations the club will be selling its merchandise. I would like to implore the Gunners family to come through and buy these items. It is through the money we make from the merchandise that we are able to patch a few gaps; things like players’ allowances, amongst others. We have been badly affected by the suspension of sports.” Meanwhile, Gunners will announce a new technical sponsor in June following the departure of All Kasi, early this year.
The Lobatse-based side opened up bids for a technical sponsor in March and has said a new sponsor will be announced before the Annual General Meeting (AGM). “We do have a number of companies we are looking at. I cannot reveal the names now, but we will announce them before our AGM in July,” Mahumba said.