adminLeague competitions boss Tawengwa Hara and PSL president Twine Phiri, said they had Mbada Diamond Holdings and another company in the kit to sponsor as many tournaments before the end of the season.
In an interview yesterday Phiri said the league had signed a sponsorship deal for a 16-team tournament to be underwritten by Mbada and another by a company whose identity he could not disclose.
Hara said with 16 weeks of the year left before the end of November, he was hopeful clubs would co-operate towards a smooth running of the programme.
Hara said the first half of the championship was too busy and demanding as four clubs were taking part in African competitions. He said this meant some matches had to be re-fixtured.
“We had to re-arrange some of the fixtures. We are happy that the backlog position was not so bad and the clubs co-operated. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise though sadly that our teams were beaten in the early rounds of the African club competitions. If a fair number of them had held on to this day, we would be having chaos,” said Hara.
Hara said as a league they were happy to see Mbada stay on as one of their partners. This he said was good for competition and the PSL.
He could not shed light on the second sponsor, but said they were now working flat out to see how best they could accommodate the two events.
“Mbada is already there, with the second one we are close to a deal and it has been resolved that we stay quiet until the right time. We would like to make a provision for that tournament too. In order for the programme to run smoothly we will appeal to our clubs to co-operate as we might have some of the games played during mid week,” said Hara.
Hara and the PSL chief executive officer will have to come up with a solution as how to fixture the clubs. There are 16 weeks before end of November and teams have on an average 13 matches to go.
A team that participates to the final in both tournaments would have played an extra eight matches.
Phiri also confirmed the Mbada deal and a second tournament.
He could not be drawn into disclosing the sponsors of the second tournament and how many teams would be involved.
Last month BancABC said they had pulled out of the tournament due to other engagements elsewhere. They used to sponsor a tournament for clubs that would have finished in the previous season’s top eight.
There is a likelihood that they could return and the bank’s spokesperson Cynthia Chizwina and PSL’s Phiri have remained tight-lipped.
“We have made an undertaking with the company that we are dealing with that information as regards the event they will sponsor will be made public when the time comes. For now we have the Mbada tournament and a second one is almost done,” said Phiri.
Tournaments unlike the league race have an effervescent effect and tend to excite fans over a short time.
Stars have emerged out of such events and clubs are naturally looking forward to more revenue and spotlighting especially those whose Premiership title ambitions seem dead and buried.
Online Reporter