Following a massive sponsorship deal announced early this year, Coca-Cola, in conjunction with BFA, on Friday convened at Gaborone International Convention Center to reveal the 2009 Coca-Cola Cup program.
The occasion was also seized by KBL’s Sesupo Wagamang to announce the company’s pleasant surprise for football fans in Botswana. They will be bringing the World Cup trophy for parade in November. A new catch phrase for this year’s tournament “wa lala wa sala”, loosely translated to mean “you snooze you lose” was also revealed under the “strike it big promotion” dedicated to football fans.
Among others, spectators will stand a chance to win a ticket to watch the Confederations Cup in South Africa and other prizes, including the P5000 for the best supporter of the tournament.
The winner will be decided by sub committees set by the organizing committee for the tournament, announced on Friday which is headed by the Chairmen Gaoalathe Kelesitse, also an additional member of the BFA.
The committee will be tasked with the drafting of fixtures, playing rules and regulations, and ensuring compliance by all participating teams and meeting time to time to evaluate the weekend proceedings.
In his presentation, Kelesitse highlighted the lack of stadia, especially in the southern part of Gaborone as one of the challenges this year’s tournament will have to overcome. He pointed out that of all the three available stadia, none is in Gaborone adding that only one in those is television friendly, explaining that some games as a result will not be televised.
Apart from the tournament running concurrently with the league, Kelesitse mentioned other improvements that will be made. There will be improved communication between the organizing committee and clubs averting past situations whereby teams would learn very late whom their opponents were and this adversely affected their preparations.
It will be the first time the cup runs at the same time as the league and this is expected raise the level of competitiveness of the tournament. It is also likely that tickets for the tournament will be sold in advance to ensure large attendances in the finals. Some finals have, in the past, suffered poor attendances once teams with large followings were ousted.
The cup will kick start on the 25th of April between Band A and B teams and the winners will face band C teams, which include mostly first division teams on the second of May.
Band D teams, which are premier league teams, will start on 8th of May. Some of the interesting clashes will be between Center Chiefs and GNT, Tafic and Naughty Boys as they are an all premier league affair.
There was also a breakdown of the prize money; the champions will pocket a whooping P350 000 and an additional P150 000 once the club takes part in the Africa club competitions. The runner ups will walk away with P200 000, while the semi finalists will each pocket a P100 000 cheque. There is also other money set aside for travel expenses. The last sixteen teams will each receive P4 500 for travel and other amounts for different stages bringing the total travel money to P200 000.
An announcement was also made to the effect that the organizing committee will formulate a way to compensate teams for mileage covered so as to reimburse teams on distances traveled.
The full organising committee is as follows: Gaolathe Kelesitse (Chairman), Carlos Kalaotee (a representative of clubs and as Vice Chairmen), Sesupo Wagamana (representative from KBL), from Coca-Cola, Achie Abdulla, Reuben Leteu (Premier league). Other members are: Stete Phuthego, Harris Lebotse, Tshepho Mphukhuthi, Mooketi Kgotlele, Phakamile Kraai, and Mothusi Simon.
