Having branded TNM’s sponsorship agreement as restrictive, some teams should not shed crocodile tears over the company’s withdrawal of funding to the top-flight league, Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has said.
Instead, Sulom General Secretary, Williams Banda, on Wednesday called on the 16 teams to be patient while the league is seeking legal opinion on TNM’s pullout.
The league insists that there is a year remaining on the four-year contract running from 2013, but renewed in April 2012.
“Some of the teams are the ones who have contributed to this by saying that TNM was not doing enough. This is why they say a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
“The clubs should be patient. Many people are concerned. Even Fam [Football Association of Malawi] is also impatient. They are concerned as to how this impasse will end,” Banda explained.
Premier Bet Wizard’ Chairperson, Ophman Kondowe, contributing during a meeting between Sulom and representatives of clubs in Blantyre last Wednesday, said some of the clubs might have been commenting on the restrictive clause because they did not have a copy of the contract.
“However, we need to be careful. We may get a sponsor of a cup but it is not easy to secure league sponsorship, and I know what I am talking about,” Kondowe said.
It has emerged that some organisation complained to The Competitions and Fair Trading Commission in 2015 with Beta Television following suit last year, leading to the commission’s determinat ion that the next agreement between Sulom and TNM be reviewed.
TNM management, was however, dismayed that the commission’s determination was first published in the press before the company got a copy.
TNM felt that there was something sinister behind the scenes and with some teams speaking against the restrictive clause, the company suspended sponsorship renewal talks, followed by the withdrawal on Tuesday.
TNM have pulled out weeks after rivals Airtel Malawi unveiled their elite Top 8 Cup sponsorship.
Airtel’s entry into mainstream footbal l coincided with the commission’s determination.
TNM Chief Executive Officer, Douglas Stevenson, when announcing the sponsorship withdrawal, said Sulom was at liberty to get another sponsor on board.
“We hope that the progress football has made significantly due to our decade-long dedication to the Super League can be leveraged by future sponsors for the good of the sport,” Stevenson said.
It is unclear if the Super League will kick off next month as scheduled.
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