Africa-Press – Uganda. There was a time when the famed KCCA jersey was an enviable entity littered with four mega name sponsors.
Four years ago, the yellow and blue stripes had StarTimes (Shs400m per season) at the front, Britam Insurance (Shs4.2bn for three years since 2016) on the sleeves and Prime Media (a graphics company – Shs 750 million annually) at the back.
With those glory days out of the window, KCCA management tried their luck with SEE TV, new Uganda television channel, as the new main shirt sponsor on November 8 last year only for the marriage, always elaborated in hushed tones, to be terminated this month.
We have reliably established that the deal fell on hard rocks after the sponsors failed to meet most of the monetary obligations set and the fact that most media platforms rejected running the club content for fear of promoting a rival.
KCCA CEO Anisha Muhoozi did not divulge the exact issue that broke the camel’s back but laboured to elaborate on the club’s forced hand to part ways with SEE TV within the first year of their proposed three-year contract.
“We parted ways for strategic reasons. Their directions were no longer the same as ours and it was a mutual consent to part ways. It is not true we didn’t do our due diligence on the SEE TV deal as reported in the media but I can assure you we have a bigger deal coming through soon,” Muhoozi expounded. Unconfirmed reports indicate that KCCA, that continues to blow hot and cold at the new StarTimes Uganda Premier League season start, will be unveiling a major shirt sponsor on Monday.
Enter 22Bet
Yesterday at the Route256 bar in Lugogo, the 13-time league winners welcomed online betting company 22Bet as their ‘awards sponsor’.
According to Muhoozi, the betting company will provide shs100,000 to KCCA’s man of the match in case the club is triumphant on the day and Shs200,000 will go to the player of the month over the one year signed.
KCCA vice chairman Aggrey Ashaba noted that the club needs every coin available at the moment to grow but hastily warned that their players won’t be lured into the prohibited betting malpractices.
“It wasn’t a hard decision to make when KCCA approached me for sponsorship because football is the biggest sport in the world.It is a pleasure and we hope for a good relationship,” 22Bet director Cedric Babu, also Lawn Tennis President, revealed.
22Bet, which also sponsors ligue giants PSG, is a relatively new company founded less than three years, but seeks to grow their wings by partnering with established franchises according to Babu.
“This is our entry point in Ugandan sports and hopefully we can extend our one-year renewable deal and also start sponsoring other sports disciplines,” Babu emphasised.
KCCA FC sponsorship deals since 2015
StarTimes (Shs400m per season) (ended)
Highland Mineral water – Shs88m (ended)
Britam Insurance – Shs4.2bn for three years since 2016 (renewed upto 2022)
Prime Media, a graphics company – Shs750 million annually (ended)
MTN – 430 million per season (on for ten years)
KCCA-City Hall – close to shs1.5bn annually (deducted by almost half)
Mpata warm kit – (on for one season)
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
