Premier league teams are likely to find themselves without prize money. The league has found it difficult to make ends meet in terms of sourcing for sponsors which led to the teams playing for nothing.
Football followers have criticized the lack of prize monies as a source of devaluing the league and lack of confidence on the collective BFA and BFL leadership. It will be the second season running without prize money.
In the last season during the league awards ceremony the champions were given P1 million dummy cheque with the hope that they would later get serious money in their accounts.
Though the league management knew there won’t be prize money, one wonders why the dummy cheque was used. The cashless league has deferred the teams’ hopes that the league will rescue them financially to make ends meet.
The teams that compete in the top flight league are facing high demanding conditions of club licensing which require clubs to maintain or face reprimand from the league authorities.
Last week the BFL secured P7 million from selling tv rights to national television broadcaster, BTV. The league authorities did not reveal the breakdown of the money on how the money is going to be spent.
Talking to BFL spokesperson, Mosimangegape Tshoswane, he said they are expecting BTV to deposit P3 million during the first round for the season and another P4 million in the second round.
“It is still to be decided how the money is going to be spent. We are hoping for more companies to come on board.”
He said he was optimistic that sponsors will be secured so that teams can be assisted for the league to run smoothly.
He said they are courting potential sponsors so that they can assist in their needs. “We need companies to come on board and sponsor referees, prize monies and administration,” he said.
If the P7 million was to be given to the teams as grants, the teams would get just about P48 000 for nine months. It is still to be decided how the money is going to be spent. We are hoping for more companies to come on board, prize monies, referees, and administration.”
