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WHEN news filtered through that the sponsorship for the Mbada Diamonds Cup has been reduced from $1 million to $250,000, many thought the tournament had lost its glamour.
Since its inception three years ago, the tournament raised the bar in terms of football sponsorship in the country and even spectators always wanted to be part of it as gate charges were reduced to a mere $1, T-shirts for fans, and there were free eats and drinks for those in the VIP section. Even sports journalists loved covering the tournament and would volunteer to travel the length and breadth of this beautiful country because they knew that they would be taken care of by the sponsors.
The royal treatment did not end there, players also had a good time. The sponsors would meet accommodation and food expenses and also pay for the appearance fees of the players and it rightfully fitted the status of the country’s premier knock out tournament, whose winners had the privilege to represent the country in the continental Confederation Cup, also getting a substantial subsidy from Mbada Diamonds.
But now that it would only feature four teams come end of season, the buzz around the tournament seemed to die down, but not for long, as it appears it has made its way up to the back pages and soccer fans’ lips with the race for the title now at home stretch. Apart from talking about who would be crowned champions, football lovers have something to talk about, the top four come end of season, as the Mbada Diamonds Cup will feature those teams, with mouth watering prizes still on offer by any standards.
Winners will pocket $50,000, while the runner-up pocket $30,000. Losing semi-finalists walk away with $15,000 and that is no small change and all clubs in the top half of the table are fighting to qualify for the tournament and boost their coffers in time for Christmas. There is even something in store for teams that will finish outside the top four, with each team set to be given $10,000 to wind up the season with some bit of smile.
Dynamos are at the top of the table with 46 points with six games to go, and it would need a spectacular loss of form for them to bow out of the top four, let alone miss the title, of which they are close to making history by winning it four times in a row under the same coach, Kallisto Pasuwa. While Highlanders dominated the domestic league from 1999 to 2004, they had two coaches winning a couple of titles each, Rahman Gumbo and the late British expatriate Eddie May. New boys ZPC Kariba are second with 44 points, Caps United third with 42 points and Highlanders fourth with 39 points. The top four teams are however, not safe, as the chasing pack of Hwange, FC Platinum, Chicken Inn and Harare City, have a mathematical chance of gate crashing into the top four tournament.
Highlanders captain Ariel Sibanda made it clear during the week that they were not down and out as there was still a lot to play for before the season ends, stressing that they have to finish in the top four so as to defend the Mbada Diamonds Cup they won last year. He also mentioned that there is still the Chibuku Cup, where they have reached the semi-finals, to aim for, with the title not out of their reach as well.
“Our target is to win all our remaining games which I believe is possible. Even the guys have faith that we can collect maximum points from our remaining matches and what is required of us is to have utmost concentration in every encounter, starting with the Caps United game. In as far as the championship is concerned, we haven’t thrown in the towel as yet and those that want to rule us out have to do so at their own peril. We spoke as guys and said look, we just have to win something which is on offer that is the Chibuku Super Cup, the Mbada Diamonds Cup as well as the league title. We are determined to work harder as we try to win something for ourselves as well as restore confidence in our supporters.”
And yes, they have to win something to please their fans who resorted to rioting when they lost to ZPC Kariba at home, a result with set in motion a chain reaction of events leading to the departure of head coach Kelvin Kaindu, leaving assistant Mark Mathe in charge until the end of the season.
What makes the puzzle more complicated is the fact that most of the top eight teams are still to play each other in matches that would have a bearing on the title race. Mbada Diamond’s corporate services executive George Manyaya told a local weekly that, as sponsors, they wanted to do away with the traditional way of selecting participants using the previous year log standings. He said this unique way would boost competition to the already exciting league.
“In most cases, sponsors ask the league to give them top four finishers of the previous year, but as Mbada, we said we want everyone to know this in time and start fighting for a better finish. This is going to make the rundown to the championship more interesting,” Manyaya said.
Caps united coach Taurai Mangwiro also told the weekly that they are very much aware of the rewards that come along when playing in the Mbada Diamonds Cup and a number of players will move a gear up in order to finish among the best four and take part in this prestigious cup.
“This has definitely brought a new dimension in terms of competition. It is good that the sponsors announced the format in time. Now it’s up to clubs and players to choose what they want. One thing that I would want to thank them for is making it a clear process with no favouritism at all. If any club is to miss, then they would have to blame themselves, not anyone. As Caps, we will fight tooth and nail to win this as it is also another ticket to play in Africa.”
In explaining the cut down in terms of sponsorship, Mbada Diamonds corporate affairs executive Manyaya said: “We are concentrating on balancing between our efforts in enhancing our operational capacity and efficiency as well as fulfilling our normal CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) investment thrust. As you may be aware — the current environment poses its own operational challenges, which have affected us as a corporate and cumulatively our stakeholders.
“Our strategic thrust for 2014 is to heavily invest into mining of deep-seated conglomerate and Kimberlitic material, which requires an extensive capital outlay. As a result we embarked on major cost-cutting initiatives that have seen us reducing budgets in all facets.”
While all teams and Zimbabweans would have loved all teams to get into the ring, the new format has not failed to add excitement to the league race. We are certain to see champagne being popped for finishing in the top four only!
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derick.khumalo