Mathare United deal sends clubs salivating

By Gilbert Wandera

Excitement has gripped the Kenya Premier League with news that Mathare United have landed a lucrative Sh 20m sponsorship deal.

With the league expected to resume next month, officials feel this will attract more corporate support to the country’s most popular sport.

Thika United vice-chairman, Gerald Chege, said the move by Kenya Data Networks (KDN) is a step in the right direction.

More important, Chege said it has set a benchmark for other clubs to follow while pursuing corporate support.

He said: "Before Sofapaka landed the Blue Triangle Cement sponsorship and United got KDN, it was difficult for clubs to know exactly how much to ask for from sponsors."

"Now the benchmark has been set and clubs understand how much they should ask for when they are looking for sponsorship."

Chege said this will increase competitiveness in the league and will enhance KPL’s bargaining power as they are looking for title sponsors.

"We have been talking to several sponsors to convince them to become the title rights sponsors but some of them have been offering Sh20m. Now we can tell them to up it up since this is what some clubs get," he explained.

"United are a community club and they should use part of this money to bring in fans back to the stadium," he said.

Nairobi City Stars secretary Peter Jabuya congratulated United while at the same time asked other corporate sponsors to come on board by supporting other clubs.

"This is good news for Kenyan football and we hope it will stir up other companies which have been reluctant to come in and support the sport," he said.