adminSports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS are tapping into branded merchandise in order to shore up revenues. The football club is engaging various entrepreneurs who are selling Bosso merchandise to ensure a percentage of the profits go into the club’s coffers. Vice-chairman Modern Ngwenya told Sunday News they realised there was a huge gap in terms of merchandise for fans and although the club has made replicas available, other branded paraphernalia was also in demand.
He said with the finalisation of the registration of trademarks it was now easier to engage people selling merchandise and force them to give the club a share of the income.
“We understand our fans are in need of merchandise so they easily identify with the team hence we are reaching out to those that have branded merchandise to come forward and work with us. We have booked a stand for the Trade Fair and I believe it will be an opportunity for us to showcase Bosso as a team while making merchandise available to our thousands of supporters who will pass through the fair,” said Ngwenya.
He revealed they had already engaged other people who have done various items such as key holders, t-shirts, caps and umbrellas, among others.
Ngwenya said rather than chasing around people selling branded items it is best to embrace them until such a time the club has the financial capacity to produce and sell the stuff.
“No one is allowed to use the trademark without our permission so rather than risk losing stuff that cost you to produce, we are simply saying to those guys, engage us and we enter into a win-win agreement.
“For Trade Fair we will sell the merchandise on behalf of those who bring it and after that we do the reconciliations with the club retaining their share and the rest being handed over to the traders,” he said.
Highlanders have in the past failed to turn the popularity of its brand into money as no official merchandise has been unveiled over the past years with only replicas coming on sale following the signing of a kit sponsorship deal with Adidas in 2013.
This gap saw enterprising businesspeople producing branded items but with the club not getting a single cent from the sales.
Former vice-chairman Mgcini Sibhalo Mpofu late last year revealed the club had registered 10 trademarks associated with the 90-year-old Bulawayo-based football club.
The process had been initiated in 2007 but was never completed and then resumed in 2013.
The brands which have been exclusively formalised by Highlanders are Amahlolanyama, Highlanders FC, Siyinqaba, Bosso, Bossolona, Tshilamoya, Ngenkani, Cry Mantengwane, Ezikamagebhula and the logo with the shield together with the inscription 1926.
Online Reporter