Undoubtedly, national champions Township Rollers are going to make a killing in their much hyped match against South African powerhouse, Kaizer Chiefs in the CAF Champions League preliminaries. Rollers travel to Soweto on February 14 for the first leg to be played at the iconic FNB Stadium before hosting their opponents at the National Stadium in a fortnight.
While this game has drummed a lot of excitement within football circles here, the fixture seems to have also attracted quick cash scams. Information reaching this publication is that some fraudsters have been going around seeking sponsorships all in the name of Rollers. “Some crooks have taken the visit by Kaizer Chiefs as a chance to make quick buck. There are those who claim that they have been sent by Rollers to seek sponsorship which is not true. The bad thing is that they want the money to be deposited into their own accounts. I would like to warn those who would use our name without our consent that stern action would be taken against them.
Our legal department is working tirelessly to ensure that nobody takes advantage of this game. I would like to appeal to those companies willing to assist us in preparation for this game to contact our offices,” said a concerned Rollers’ boss Jagdish Shah.
He added that he does not want the name of Rollers to be tainted by desperate morons who do not have football in their hearts. “There are some people who are in this game (football) to see what they can get rather than passion. It is a pity that some of these so-called companies are not registered yet they claim to be proper,” said the Indian boss.
On the ticket sales, Shah pointed out that they have been working closely with Botswana Premier League office to ensure that they get the best. “We’ll get the best tickets with proper security. We would like to appeal to those willing to attend the home match to buy tickets on time. This week, Rollers’ staff will be going around the malls in Gaborone to activate the home tie, sell merchandise and tickets. The staff and cars will be branded so it will be easy to identify them. There will be no tickets sold at the National Stadium on the day (February 28),” he said.
Shah has applauded Botswana National Sports Council for giving them the National Stadium for free in order to host the South African side. He said Mapalastina will only be required to pay for the company which will be cleaning the stadia before and after the match. “Their generosity will come a long way in ensuring that we cut some of the costs which comes with hosting this game. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Liberty Life who will pay for the catering,” he said.
League sponsors beMOBILE have assisted Rollers with P200, 000 in order to prepare for the game. The national champions need P750, 000 to host the game. “We’ve been humbled by the support we’ve been getting from BNSC, BFA and other stakeholders in preparation for this game.
