Deals not sealed but BPL optimistic
Boitumelo Khutsafalo | Friday July 14, 2017 16:43
The revelation will come as a relief following fears over a repeat of what happened in 2014 when the league kicked off without a sponsor while the two parties were still locked in negotiations. The league has been scheduled to start on August 18. The contracts for the two sponsors ended last season.
Speaking to Mmegi Sport yesterday, acting BPL chief executive officer (CEO), Thabo Ntshinogang said negotiations are on the right track with the two companies and expected to conclude before the end of this month. There were reports that although both BTC and BPL look set to continue the marriage, the key factor delaying the conclusion of the deal with the league sponsors has been the issue of prize money.
However, the acting BPL CEO said that is not true. He said when they negotiate with the potential sponsor for extension of the contract, they negotiate not only the prize money but also many other things. He said it is not true that the issue of disagreement on the prize money has been the delaying factor in concluding the deal. BTC first came on board as league sponsor in 2008 following the Munhumutapa saga.
They injected P15 million for three seasons. The two parties renewed the relationship for a further three years after the conclusion of the first deal with BTC now pumping in P24 million. In the just ended deal, BTC has injected P30 million. However, the prize money has remained the same for the past nine years with the winner getting P1 million.
Mascom Wireless on the other hand has been bankrolling the Top 8 tournament since its inception in 2011. The company increased the prize money for the winners from P1 million to P1.2 million when they renewed their partnership with the BPL in 2014.