The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
THE local football landscape has struggled to maintain partnerships with the corporate world with sponsorship being a flame that burns and dims intermittently between companies and the sport.
Prolonged financial instability, a poor image of the game and a perceived lack of creativity within the country’s marketing sector has seen even the flagship of the most popular sport, the Premiership, going for periods without a funding partner.
However, like an oasis in the desert, Townshend and Butcher Sports Shop has stood resolute with the Bulawayo Amateur Football Association sponsoring what has become the league’s premier knockout tournament and the longest running in the country.
The two entities reaffirmed their partnership during the week as they held the draw for the 61st edition of the Townshend and Butcher Bafa Tournament which kicks off this morning at the Barbourfields Outside grounds.
While the tournament usually involves all the 16 teams affiliated with Bafa, this year only four teams are taking part with the Bafa chairman, Charles Chunda saying they are hoping to use the tourney as an incentive for teams to pay up their affiliations fees.
He said while having fewer teams might seem to take off the gloss from the tournament, it was a prestigious competition that needs serious contenders.
“We are cognisant of the fact that we are celebrating 61 years of partnership with Townshend and Butcher and we should be having a bigger field of teams but we realised the competition is important and only teams that value it should take part.
“It is a partnership that we cherish as we believe it is the longest running sponsorship for any league in Zimbabwe and we are grateful to (Townshend and Butcher proprietor, Peter) Leondios who remains committed to walking with us this football journey even in times of financial difficulties,” he said.
Teams that are taking part in this year’s edition are Safeguard, Unity Village, Anolle Castings and NGA Chronicle.
With last year’s winners Golden Hotspurs and finalists, Rebels ruled out of the tournament there will be a new champion as the two sides have dominated the meet over the years.
Safeguard is set to fight it out against Unity Village for a place in the finals while Anolle Castings face NGA Chronicle.
Winners are set to walk away with a floating shield, medals and a full set of a football kit.
Leondios expressed commitment to Bafa saying they have maintained a good relationship with the league and are looking forward to a bigger partnership.
“It’s been good working with the Bafa league and we are looking forward to seeing this tournament grow big. It is a big achievement that the tournament has survived this long considering that it is amateur football,” he said.
Speaking at the draw held on Tuesday, Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda, who was guest of honour, expressed satisfaction with the tournament’s role in assisting the development of football in Bulawayo.
“I want to express my gratitude to the sponsor for being with us for the past years. This league has produced some great players, so we are looking forward to more fruitful years with Townshend and Butcher. To the teams participating this year, I would like to encourage you to desist from any acts of violence. Let us not destroy this brand and our league,” he said.
