JUST IN: Sponsorship to maintain stability- Mhlophe

20 Feb, 2018 - 12:02 0 Views
JUST IN: Sponsorship to maintain stability- Mhlophe

The Sunday News

NetOne

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent

THE sponsorship package from mobile communications company, NetOne will maintain stability at Highlanders and give room to leaders to deal with the club’s ballooning debt.

Chairman Kenneth Mhlophe welcomed the funding deal saying with salaries taken care of the club has room to focus on other pressing needs to improve its fortunes.

NetOne unveiled the sponsorship package valued at $350 000 for one year on Wednesday together with this year’s playing kits.

The function also saw NetOne unveiling funding for the country’s other two football giants, Dynamos and Caps United.

“This is a welcome move from NetOne and we will strive to work together to ensure both our brands grow during this partnership period.

“NetOne is a big brand and we are also a huge brand in football so we believe our union will work towards the benefit of both parties,” said Mhlophe.

He said they are looking forward to bigger crowds gracing matches at Barbourfields, Bosso’s home ground, this coming season as a new line-up mainly composed of youngsters carry the club’s hopes.

Mhlophe said the sponsorship should be a huge motivation for the players to do their best on the field and woo fans back to the stadium.

The sponsorship caters for salaries, kit, travelling expenses and accommodation.

Mhlophe said the worry will be on coming up with bonuses, which were thorn in the flesh for the club last year.

Highlanders players last year embarked on a strike towards the end of the season protesting against non-payment of bonuses. The industrial action led to a fall out between the club captains, Erick Mudzingwa, Rahman Kutsanzira and Ariel Sibanda with the executive and the trio was replaced by replaced by Peter Muduhwa, Ralph Matema and Gabriel Nyoni.

Mhlophe was elected chairman a fortnight ago on the back of promises to deal with the club ballooning debt which is inching towards $1 million.

Replicas for the new kit are set to be on sale when the season starts.

Mhlophe said they are yet to conclude on the price but an order of the replicas has already been made.

“The replicas are on their way and are likely to be available when the season kicks off. We are still looking at the pricing matrix but we certainly want to ensure it is affordable to the multitude of our supporters.

“We will get a percentage of the profits hence we want to urge our supporters to buy original to increase our revenue,” he said.

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