TNM Triples Super League Sponsorship to K500M Per Year
Super League president Colonel Gilbert Mitawa said clubs were "sincerely grateful" and that the extra funds would help revive, reform and rebrand the league to make it more competitive and attractive.
BLANTYRE, Malawi— Mobile network provider TNM PLC has tripled its sponsorship of Malawi's top soccer league, increasing the annual package to K500 million per year for the next three years, writes Happy Valirani.
TNM Chief Executive Officer Herbert Michel announced the massive 300% increase from the previous 150 million kwacha annual sponsorship at a press conference Wednesday in Blantyre.
"At TNM we believe in football, every Malawian has a huge passion for football and TNM is Malawian company and we are only in Malawi so it's our duty to contribute to football for everyone in Malawi and this is who we are and this is what we do and this is what compelled me to actually increase the sponsorship this year," Michel said.
The winner of the Super League will now receive 100 million kwacha, with the runner-up getting 40 million and third place 30 million. Team subsidies have risen from 4 million to 10 million kwacha per club per season.
Prize money has also increased for individual awards like player of the season, top scorer, best midfielder, defender, goalkeeper and coach. Referees will also receive sponsor money.
"The whole idea is to make this league more competitive and we are doing more this year, we are also taking part of this money to develop football at the community level that feeds into the leagues," Michel said.
Football Association of Malawi president Fleetwood Haiya praised TNM for the sponsorship increase, calling it unprecedented.
"It has never happened before in our football, the winners of the league going out with K100 million, there is no other competition matching with the TNM as we speak," Haiya said. "We believe that this will help to develop football in Malawi."
Super League president Colonel Gilbert Mitawa said clubs were "sincerely grateful" and that the extra funds would help revive, reform and rebrand the league to make it more competitive and attractive.
TNM has sponsored Malawi's Premier Soccer League since 2006.