Financial benefits from Umbro sponsorship

Chipo Sabeta
English sportswear and football equipment supplier Umbro representative Elroy Dicks, has assured the Zimbabwe football family of a mutually beneficial partnership after signing a three-year kit sponsorship deal with the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) last week.

The internationally recognised partner, is expected to supply at least 50 000 replica jerseys before the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Congo Brazzaville on March 24.

Brokered by South Africa-based company, FC Cape Town Consulting, the deal will see the sportswear company providing a full consignment of kits for all national teams at the beginning of every football season for the next three years.

Whilst the landmark deal brings an end to a period where national teams wore unbranded kits of relatively low quality, Dicks says Umbro will go beyond the sponsorship to guarantee ZIFA uncompromised quality and financial gains from replica jerseys.

“Besides the need to re-position Zimbabwe as a Southern Region football powerhouse, we are keen on a mutually benefiting deal that will see ZIFA benefiting financially. We will make sure that all replica are made in time are we are keen on producing a considerable number of replica.”

“We are very pleased to be adding Zimbabwe football team to our roster of clubs around the world. The team has a unique culture that fits perfectly with Umbro’s values and combined with our unparalleled kit design and footballing insight, should make a fantastic partnership,” he said.

With the Warriors leading Group G with eight points coupled with home support for the next match, the replicas are likely to fly off the shelves, if reasonably priced.

ZIFA president, Felton Kamambo, who scooped one of the best kit sponsorship deals with only two months into office, said the national association will benefit from a five percent royalty for the total sales of the replicas.

“We have been working tirelessly to make sure that our national teams dress appropriately during matches when they travel as well as during training.

“We are here to officially announce that we have engaged Umbro as our official kit sponsor for the next three years.

“We are optimistic that our partnership with Umbro will enhance our visibility as a football brand,” he said.

Kamambo added: “Umbro has the capacity to provide replicas for our supporters, unlike previously when it was almost impossible to get national team football jerseys.

“We have agreed on a 5 percent revenue of the replica sales. This will be revised each year, the 5 percent was just the starting point. The bulk of the other kit sponsors were far much less than that.

“Even Umbro initially was much less than the 5 per cent but from the negotiations, we managed to get that. We will also get some discounts if we buy replicas in bulk for resale.”

This is the second time that ZIFA has entered into partnership with Umbro after the 2013 deal ahead of the Chan finals in South Africa.