Broke BPL blows budget

Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Thursday March 24, 2016 12:42

 

The situation is said to have affected some Premier League clubs financially who have for sometime been operating under difficult conditions. “Some of the clubs as you are aware are struggling financially because they do not have sponsors. 

They also do not make any meaningful amount from gate takings. The grants have been helpful although not much, but we have not been getting that for sometime now,” a source revealed to Mmegi Sport.

Sources say the teams are owed an average of P150, 000 each in grants. “It is a very difficult situation and compromises our performance on the field because running a club is so expensive,” another source said. The clubs were supposed to receive P50, 000 each over eight months as part of the grants from the broadcasting deal with Botswana Television (Btv).

The problem the sources say, could be the fact that the BPL could have used the money elsewhere.

Sources say the initial budget, which was lower, has now been exceeded with even the accommodation which was initially budgeted for just over P400, 000 now at close to P800, 000.

The referees fees, which were initially budgeted at P480, 000, have shot up to around P600, 000.  “At the time when they realised that there would be this financial situation, they should have informed the clubs so that contingency plans could be worked out in time.

Now we are in the red because they cannot give us the remaining grants,” one source said.

 At their meeting early this month, several clubs had reportedly voiced their concerns over the non-payment of the grants.

They warned that they might not be able to honour some of the games because of their financial situation.

In its efforts to try and address the situation, the BPL secretariat reportedly made some proposals, which were rejected by the clubs.

Some of those were that the league sponsor, Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) be approached for advances, which will later be deducted, from the teams’ prize money at the end of the season.

Another proposal was that the January, February and March grant liability be deferred to the next financial budget starting in July 2016.

The BPL also reportedly proposed that for payment of January grants with the remaining amount allocated to league’s expenses.

The proposals were all rejected by the clubs who recommended that a task force made up of the CEO, Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee and Chairman of the Risk Committee be appointed by the board to seek financial assistance from beMOBILE, Mascom and Botswana Football Association (BFA).

The board is expected to meet during the long holidays where the issue of grants is expected to top the agenda.