Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) teams are set to cash in on caller tunes, a technology that lets fans support their favourite teams by subscribing to the service.
This is courtesy of the sponsor MTN Eswatini.These are the 14 teams from the premier League and the same number of clubs from the national first division league. An impeccable source to the deal revealed that under this initiative, which is outside the sponsorship agreement, clubs are set to rake in E1 680 000 through the sale of their recorded theme songs as caller tunes.
According to the source, the teams stand a chance to collectively make this money per season. The season is estimated to run for eight months.The source disclosed that each team would be expected to make caller tunes subscriptions of 1 500, the monthly subscription fee at E5 like any normal song.
This will see teams making at least E7 500 per month. This means that if the 28 clubs all reach the target of 1 500 subscriptions, they would at minimal, rake in E210 000 per month. This in turn means that each team stands to potentially make E60 000 per season.
Transparency
“The PLE clubs have been sensitised on this opportunity. For transparency sake, MTN will send to teams the monthly records while the PLE will receive the money as the father of the teams and distribute it as per the subscriptions of each member,” the source said.
The source said teams just needed to record theme songs for their clubs as caller tunes. The source said clubs would be eligible to have as many caller tunes as they wish. It was further revealed that Public Relations Officers (PROs) would have something to smile about at the end of the month. It was said E500 would be dangled for any PRO whose team would top the subscriptions, while fans would not be spared to as they would receive E1 for any referral to their caller tunes.
It was said however, the money to be made would be shared in a ratio of 50 and 40 per cent. The sponsor would keep the half and take 10 per cent for administrations costs of the project. The remainder will be then sent to the PLE to be apportioned to clubs as per subscriptions. According to the rules and regulations, the PLE takes 20 per cent and teams take 80 per cent of any money that is due to them.
Meanwhile, MTN Eswatini injects E19.5m into PLE in three season’s phases. This see each season being sponsored to the tune of the E6.5m, as they said it would enable teams to make an extra income and promotion of their team’s brand. On the other hand, Manzini Wanderers PRO Mduduzi ‘Mr G’ Ginindza said if clubs owners accepted this, they would support it.
Disadvantage
“If the governors and chairperson saw that it will help us, it is okay as long as teams won’t be at a disadvantage. We would be excited about it, and believe the lion’s share will come to us as clubs,” Ginindza said. Madlenya Marketing and Communications Manager Comfort Jele said the initiate would help them organise their fan base data. “This is a great opportunity that will enable us as a small brand to fund ourselves. It also challenges us to mobilise and organise our fan base. It will keep our brand alive as we will not only trend with the upsets this season,” Jele said.
Meanwhile, there was no immediate comment from the PLE, as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kenneth Makhanya’s phone rung unanswered and he had not replied to WhatsApp messages sent to him at the time of compiling this report. This initiative by the mobile network provider would come as a relief to the local teams as they are finding it hard to make ends meet. This publication recently reported that Mbabane Highlanders and Swallows spend over E5 million a season.
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