DeMbare kit deal

The massive deal, being funded by financial institution BancABC, is also expected to benefit police outfit Black Mambas in the long term.
But for now the focus is on the Premiership’s cash cows, Dynamos and Highlanders, who are also the country’s two biggest clubs.
DeMbare and Bosso already use the branded Adidas kits with the BancABC logo on the front part of their jerseys.
But, more importantly, was the key meetings which the Dynamos and Highlanders management committees held with the Adidas representatives this week amid revelations too that BancABC are very keen to help the two clubs open sports shops that would sell the club’s exclusive merchandise.
BancABC have committed themselves to bring a professional touch to the way both DeMbare and Bosso are run.
And it has emerged that the bank is exploring ways of partnering some selected retail outlets to sell the branded Dynamos and Highlanders replicas until each club has managed to open its own sports shop.
Although none of the parties which met this week were eager to reveal much about the deliberations, Adidas senior sports marketing manager, Adrian De Souza, who led his company’s delegation to the country, confirmed the meetings.
“We have been in Harare for the last couple of days for exploratory discussions with Dynamos and Highlanders but we cannot say much about the discussions.
“I cannot comment much about the replicas too save to say we had good meetings with both clubs,’’ De Souza said.
BancABC head of marketing Cynthia Chizwina was also not saying much, arguing that it is still premature to comment on the deals.
“I am not at liberty to discuss that (the meetings) because discussions are still going on and they are confidential but I am sure we will make an official statement pretty soon,’’ Chizwina said.
Dynamos, who were represented by both their executive and some members of the club’s board of directors, appeared satisfied with the way the deal, which could open more revenue streams for the Harare giants, is shaping up.
Despite having a big brand the Glamour Boys have sadly continued to rely on gate takings for their survival with executive members often being forced to chip in and bail the club out.
Just like De Souza and Chizwina, Dynamos secretary-general Ray Kazembe, was also guarded in his response about the meeting they held with Adidas.
“Yes it is true we did meet with them but negotiations are still going on. We believe that in two weeks or so we should have completed the negotiations.
“There are a few areas that we pointed out so they (Adidas) needed to go back and further consult but otherwise we are in agreement on the deal,’’ Kazembe said.
Repeated efforts to get hold of Bosso treasurer, Odiel Nkomo, who was one of the parties who represented Highlanders in their indaba with Adidas, however, proved fruitless.
But it is the keenness by BancABC to turn Dynamos and Highlanders into the real giants that their profiles deserve which is refreshing.
Chizwina also told The Herald in April that their initiative was aimed at benefiting all the teams that are sponsored by BancABC.
“We would also want the kits to be sold at a reasonable price. All we are doing is simply try to and uplift the local game and try and match the standards that we see on the international stage. At the same the teams will also benefit from the sale of the replicas.
“We have seen it with teams in Europe and in South Africa where supporters of clubs like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates go to the stadiums clad in their teams’ official replicas,’’ said Chizwina then.
It has also emerged that all the parties are keen on having at least 10 000 replicas for each of the two Premiership giants, going on sale next month or at least at the start of August amid revelations too that Adidas have already completed the specific designs for either club.
The Adidas representatives are also understood to have made it clear to both clubs that the envisaged sports shops should be designed to meet their strict branding and international requirements.
Crucially for Dynamos the Adidas deal and the efforts being made to control the sale of the replicas brings could usher in a new era for the Harare giants as it will directly impact on their coffers.
Dynamos have been crying foul for allegedly failing to reap any rewards from a similar project involving the sale of merchandise designed for the club’s 50th anniversary celebrations next year.
While the Adidas representatives were in the country to bring the deal for the replicas closer to finality, a storm was also brewing in the legal corridors between sports consultancy firm S Chiware and a local sports shop Betta Ball over the sale of merchandise for the DeMbare Jubilee anniversary.
In papers filed though their lawyers, S Chiware contend that both Dynamos, as the owners of the brand, and the consultancy were prejudiced of thousands of dollars after Betta Ball secured and distributed merchandise which the club’s fans were buying as part of commemorations for the 50th anniversary.
The legal wrangle may also have prompted the Dynamos board of directors to ensure they were represented when the Adidas officials came to town so that “all the decision makers in the club would sing from the same hymn’’.
Ironically Dynamos and Highlanders have in the past struggled to tie up viable deals over replicas kits with their bid to engage a local company Xylocom having collapsed after the two teams realised that they would have to fork out more than they would get in the end.
But unlike in the past, DeMbare and Bosso this time have the helping hand from BancABC, which has brought a business touch to he initiative and ensured the deal gets of the ground.
The financial institution is however understood to have also have expressed concern over the sudden changes that often characterise the Dynamos executive.
“One of the major concerns on the part of BancABC has been that you never know who is charge of Dynamos. You may be dealing with this executive today and tomorrow you wake up to find out that they have been fired and another committee appointed so that lack of continuity brings with it some uncertainty in such business deals,’’ said a source close to the proceedings.