RELAX, YOU ARE NOW IN SAFE HANDS: Harambee Stars get Sh450m five-year sponsorship from Star Times

Harambee Stars keeper Boniface Oluoch team's training session ahead of their CHAN qualifier clash against Ethiopia at Nyayo Stadium io on July 2, 2015.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

National football team Harambee Stars has received a major boost - a five-year sponsorship deal from par TV, Star Times - ahead of today’s Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) match against Ethiopia.

The five-year broadcast sponsorship deal worth Sh450million comes almost one year after East African Breweries’ deal ended.

But both parties involved in the sponsorship, Star Times and Football Kenya Federation (FKF), clarified it does not include the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifying matches, whose rights are owned by African Football Federation, CAF and Fifa.

Instead, the deal covers CHAN and friendly matches involving all the country’s national teams. Speaking during the launch, Star Times Director of Sports Gary Rathbone said the sponsorship is a significant demonstration of the company’s confidence and commitment in the local market.

“We are very excited to be the official media sponsors of Harambee Stars. As a brand, we are keen to see more households being able to enjoy watching their national team using the latest broadcast technology,” he said.

He also revealed that under the deal, Stars Times will also kit all the national teams during the period of contract.

“There are two elements to the sponsorship. The first involves media partnership, while the second includes helping the team do more.

This sponsorship is meant to help the team do more,” he added.
FKF chairman Sam Nyamweya said the signing of the new deal is a historic moment for the country.

“Before this deal, we had no serious sponsors for the national team. The previous sponsorship we had from EABL gave us less than Sh30million per year.

Furthermore, what we eventually got was much less.

“We want to thank Star Times for their gesture.

We have been negotiating with them for quite a while now and we are glad that this has finally worked,” he said.

Nyamweya said the deal involves only kitting the national team and friendly matches as well as CHAN qualifiers.

“FKF had the option of signing a deal with Caf and Sportsfive or going it alone in acquiring a sponsorship for the team.

We are happy that Star Times came on board just at the right time,” he said.