Africa-Press – Tanzania. UNLIKE in the past, sports today are more than just physical activities. This is because the sports sector has, with time, morphed into an industry, and with it a roaring market that involves equipment and clothing, infrastructure, event organisation and endorsements, among others. Sports are a huge boost to both the developed and developing nations.
The sector plays a pivotal role in contributing to economic growth, improving health, hence happiness and providing employment to thousands of youths and more people across the entire value chain. Sports also act as a unifier because when people support the same team, they instantly become close and friendly even if they do not know one another.
Through sports, people are able to interact, enjoy and sometimes forge lasting relationships. There are therefore, myriads of reasons as to why the sector should be supported due to its multi-dimensional space it creates for a country’s social and economic development. In Tanzania, the sports sector has grown and continues to grow exponentially, thanks to the government’s and other stakeholders’ efforts to prop it up.
Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) through its Serengeti banner stands out as one of the most visible private sector players that have immensely supported local sports, always chipping in to boost different types of sports whenever it’s requested to do so. Granted, whether it’s in foot-ball, athletics, golf… name it, SBL has been visibly present-a testimony to the fact that when called upon to give a helping hand, the country’s second beer brewer responds without discrimination.
And as in the Greek mythology, most of SBL’s sponsorships usually turn out to be Midas touch, as evidenced in football where the beer-maker has consistently provided support, with excellent results. Taifa Stars, Tanzanian men’s national team, achieved an almost impossible feat in 2019 when it qualified, after a 38-year lull, for the prestigious African Cup of Nations (AFCON)-an achievement that the national soccer governing body, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) and other soccer pundits, attributed largely to SBL’s sponsorship.
Prior to the qualification, SBL had bankrolled the hitherto cash-strapped national soccer custodian with 2.1b/-, becoming Taifa Stars’ main sponsor and effectively enabling TFF and indeed the national team to meet their financial obligations. Suffice to say, due to the team’s sterling performance, SBL once again renewed the national team’s sponsorship, this time raising the kitty to a whopping 3b/-.
“We believe that by supporting Taifa Stars, we are contributing to not only the growth of the sports sector but also in reinvigorating local football, a game that Tanzania and the world in general hold so dear,” SBL’s Managing Director, Mark Ocitti was quoted as saying during the sponsorship renewal event, to which the President of TFF, Wallace Karia replied: “The renewal of this sponsorship is a clear testimony to the confidence that Serengeti Premium Lager has on TFF leadership; we promise that we will not let SBL down.
Rather, we will endeavour to ensure that the money is spent prudently in order to catapult Taifa Stars to even higher altitudes of soccer excellence”. In a similar sponsorship, SBL agreed to jumpstart the otherwise hitherto ‘sleepy’ Tanzania Women’s Premier League (WPL), once again playing a trail-blazers role by funding a league that had previously never tasted a sponsor in its history of existence.
To this end, SBL pumped 450m/- into the Women’s Premier League in 2018, effectively revitalising the drowsy league and for its efforts, the brand enjoyed the credit of being the first sponsor of the league, ever. It’s true that the gamble has paid off because since then, a new-found excitement among female soccer clubs is evident, giving rise to ‘Malkias’ (Queens) clubs across the country such as the league’s former champions Mlandizi Queens and JKT Queens.
Other prominent participants are Alliance Queens, Simba Queens, Yanga Princesses and many others. We feel teams that receive lucrative sponsorship should use it effectively as we urge others to come forward and join the sponsorship bandwagon. As well we laud those firms whose sponsorship has been very effective.
Companies like Vodacom Tanzania who backs the top flight league, Tanzania Breweries who back Kilimanjaro Marathon, Azam who supports many big leagues must be commended for the effective backing.
