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Augustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
SUPERSPORT’s commercial director for Africa, Stanley Matthews, believes Zimbabwean players are technically gifted but more effort is needed to market them through their various clubs and the league.
Matthews, who is a South African national, yesterday pointed out that local football had the potential to grow as a big industry if clubs and the league increase their drive towards commercialisation of their product.
Speaking after facilitating a workshop for the Premiership’s board of governors in the capital yesterday, Matthews said SuperSport, as the official broadcaster of the domestic league, had been impressed since they went into a partnership at the start of the season.
“It was a very good session to be honest and we came together primarily to discuss the way forward for professional football in Zimbabwe and in the Premier Soccer League.
“The PSL is very determined to build a stronger brand for their league and this session was a review of the first year of our partnership.
“We were seeing how things have been going from television perspective and how things have been going from a football perspective.
“So this workshop covered areas from technical to marketing, commercial aspects, player contracts, facilities at stadiums, engagement with the media and all the areas to take the game forward and make sure that Zimbabwe football is strong,” said Matthews.
Matthews said Zimbabwean players were highly regarded in the South Africa.
“The standard of the individual players is high and they are good quality players. They are good technically and have a good work rate.
“We worked on the brand development of the league and the clubs and the era of commercialisation is where the guys now want to be.
“They want to be pushing their brands and the PSL more as they also push the brands of the individual clubs.
“There are still areas that need improvements and the PSL clubs have taken that in a positive way and we have made a number of resolutions on how the product can get better.
“The media has given tremendous support to the local league and we need to repay all the stakeholders from clubs, media, fans and corporate,” he said.
Matthews challenged clubs to develop relations with the media.
“We have talked to clubs to develop access to the media and create relations and service the media in a better way and not only on match days.
“They should avail more access to players and I think they should understand that media has a part to play in building the product and if we are going to be kept outside, we are not going to take the product to the next level.
“But if we are partners, the clubs can be more relevant and attract more sponsors in the community.
“So we do not want a situation where most of the clubs do not have team sponsorship. Every team in the PSL should have a sponsor and we want that, at every match there are perimeter boards where stakeholders are getting mileage in return as exposure.
“As South Africans, we have tremendous respect for Zimbabwe in football not just because you beat us the other night but if we look at the quality of players that have come through and are standout in our league, we see Zimbabweans,” said Matthews.
The Warriors beat South African 2-1 at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday.
“Khama Biliiat made a high profile transfer recently but there are a lot of other players at clubs in South Africa who are making positive impressions.
“On and off the field, some Zimbabwean players are setting the examples on good lifestyles and good character.”
PSL chief executive Kenny Ndebele said the league was now working on implementing some of the resolutions from the workshop by SuperSport.
Online Reporter