Nile should do more for minnows

Dec 01, 2002

IT is said, those who have, unto them more will be added. That is exactly what is happening in Nile Breweries’ marriage with Ugandan football

By James Bakama

IT is said, those who have, unto them more will be added. That is exactly what is happening in Nile Breweries’ marriage with Ugandan football.

The Njeru brewers’ deserve a huge pat on the back for sticking with football despite its less than professional management,but, they should take the lead in offering the game wholistic development.

The new sh480m three-year Nile Special Super League deal they sealed with FUFA on Wednesday, is packaged in such a way that it will benefit mainly Kampala based teams more than others.

One just needs to look at the prize money, to see why Kampalans are smiling much more than the impoverished upcountry teams.

With sh71m of the annual sh161m budget going to prizes, it is only the top five, and best players who will get the lion’s share. To see the imbalance that this creates you only have to look at the past records.

Only one upcountry team (Nile) has won this competition. And, even in Kampala, the title has been a special preserve for a handful of traditional giants.

Nile Breweries may be employing a sponsorship style widely used in most of the top leagues but ours is an inferior economic set up where the minnows cannot survive un aided. This can best be done via provision of subsidies.

You only have to remember the intense frequency with which newly promoted teams to the top league have been relegated, to know that there is need for protection.

There is therefore an urgent need to address the development component of the sponsorship deal.

Articles scrapped from previous agreements like one catering for provision of basics like transport and playing boots especially to the small teams should be re-visited.

FUFA also have to show their marketing wits, if any. The soccer body is favoured by a contractual clause that allows joint sponsors from non competitors.

But FUFA should also not be timid in its dealings with Nile.

They should realise that they hold the rights to Uganda’s most popular sport. Nile Breweries is undoubtedly gaining a lot through this popularity to promote its products.

FUFA will only be able to fight for the small teams after realising what worth soccer really is.

Failure to do so, will have our top league remaining the preserve of the well to do only.

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