Orange, BFA in FA Cup talks
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday August 15, 2017 16:18
Information reaching this publication is that the BFA is in the last stages of negotiations with mobile phone company, Orange Botswana, with the latter looking to return to football after deciding against renewing the Zebras sponsorship last year.
“The deal would be closed this week. They have been in talks for months now. The company is also keen as their competitors Mascom and BTCL (Botswana Telecommunications Limited) are also involved with football. We should expect a deal to be officially announced before the end of this week,” a source close to the proceedings said.
Contacted for comment, BFA communications and marketing manager, Tumo Mpatane confirmed that the FA cup would return this season but would not share more details as the association would want to protect the sponsors and guard against jeopardising the deal before it is concluded. “We are in a process where we are negotiating the sponsorship for the cup. I cannot reveal the name of the entity, as we want to guard the sponsor. So, yes the FA cup will return in the next season. We will communicate with you when the deal it set and done,” Mpatane said.
The BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti also confirmed the news in his report delivered at the BFA annual general assembly held in Gaborone on Saturday. Letshwiti however did not mention a potential sponsor for the cup, but said the association would avail funds from organisational donors such FIFA, CAF, Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) and the Botswana National Olympics Committee in order to make the competition possible for the next season.
“He (Letshwiti) is a man of his word. He promised us the cup and he will deliver. We just have to give him time,” Mpatane said before revealing that BTCL and Mascom have also renewed their deals for the league and top eight cup respectively with an announcement to be made in the near future.
The move would be seen as a great development for the local teams as they have been battling with financial constraints in the past seasons. Meanwhile, the 2017/18 football season is set to start on August 24 due to delay in the sponsorship talks.