Bosso deal halved: BancABC slashes sponsorship from $400 000 to $200 000

Fungai Muderere
BOSSO should brace for a tough financial year ahead with the recent sponsorship cut by BancABC.

The bank which pays the teamaï¿½ï¿½s salaries has since 2015 been gradually reducing their sponsorship. For the 2014 season Bosso gotAï¿½ $700 000 then in 2015 and 2016 the money was reduced to $400 000.

For 2017, the sponsorship will be reduced further to between $200 000 and $250 000.

BancABC also sponsors Harare giants Dynamos and they will most likely get the same cut.

According to a well-placed source within the banking entity, the sponsorship deal would only cover the Bulawayo football giants for a paltry six months.

aï¿½?This time around the bank could not commit itself for a longer period. Itaï¿½ï¿½s (BancABC) also facing some challenges but they could not dump Highlanders. The six-month sponsorship is worth between $200 000 and $250 000 and it will be announced soon,aï¿½? said the source.

Bosso are reeling under a debt close to $1 million and the BancABC package has been making things easier.

Club chairman Modern Ngwenya said the clubaï¿½ï¿½s pending Annual General Meeting (AGM) set for Sunday at the club house would see them talk about the renewal of the BancABC sponsorship.

aï¿½?We hope by the time of the AGM we will be having a clear picture with regards to our partnership with BancABC.

However, we are looking forward to the renewal of our sponsorship deal,aï¿½? said Ngwenya.

Asked about the sponsorship package they are likely to get for this season an evasive Ngwenya said itaï¿½ï¿½s a sensitive matter that he would rather keep under wraps until the official announcement.

Bosso members are expected to deliberate on the clubaï¿½ï¿½s survival at their AGM where the chairmanaï¿½ï¿½s report will cover issues to do with the players that the club has secured for the 2017 season as well as progress on sponsorship.

The treasurer and board chairman will also present their reports. Any other business shall be attended to where due notice has been given.

Critical to note is that the chairmanaï¿½ï¿½s report will be presented by Ngwenya, who was voted into office last February as vice-chairman.

He is holding fort for Peter Dube who was suspended by Zifa late last year alongside the clubaï¿½ï¿½s former chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede whose contract expired on December 31.

Gumede has since retired from football. Dube is accused of unlawfully interrupting formal proceedings during a Zifa congress. He is also charged with attempting to incite chaos by urging PSL club representatives to denounce lawfully made resolutions, charges which he denies. Ngwenya and his team have managed to tie down, among top players, Rahman Kutsanzira, Simon Munawa and Peter Muduhwa. .