Bullets lands K500m Nyasa sponsorship: Malawi champions

After years of wilderness of sponsorship poverty, one of the country’s most successful football club Big Bullets and the reigning Super League Champions Big Bullets has secured a mega sponsorship -a five year K500 million deal with Nyasa Manufacturing Company Limited.

The signing in ceremony took place in Blantyre, Friday where it was revealed that the sponsorship is classified at K100 million per year. Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Walter Nyamilandu as present during the ceremony.

But other details are currently under wraps with Bullets Chairman Sam Chilunga, who Nyasa Times understands was influential in clinching the deal, only confirming of the deal.

“It’s true we have landed an Mk100 million deal per year for five years. We will announce formally giving you all the details but let me thank all who supported us in particular let me thank those who prayed for me,” Chilunga said Friday evening.

News about Bullets executive committee discussing with the cigarettes manufacturing company has been in town for some time back but an agreement is said to have been reached Thursday with the signing ceremony taking place the following day.

“I had to court FIFA on this deal just to get some clarity that’s why it took long to materialize but God has been good. God bless!” an excited Chilunga said without elaborating.

Chilunga also said applauded Football Association of Malawi President Walter Nyamilandu for playing a role by facilitating negotiations between Bullets and Fifa over the involvement of a tobacco company.

He described the sponsorship as a sigh of relief and historical since the team was formed in 1967 as an off-shoot from their rivals Mighty Be Forward Wanderers. “It is a strategic business partnership as they will finance us and use the team’s supporters base to enhance their brand,” Chilunga said.

“The deal requires the right mind, right attitude, right work ethics and above all accountability and integrity. It is not sponsorship per se it is work hard that’s it is a partnership,” he said.

Nyasa Manufacturing Company owner Konrad Buckle disclosed to Nyasa Times that the team will Maintain its traditional red and white colours but the name will be changed as they will be called NMC Big Bullets  or Nyasa Big Bullets.

For more than a decade, the Blantyre based giants have been playing in the top flight league without a steady official sponsors.

The last time the team had sponsorship worth mentioning was in 2004 when the then Head of Sate Baliki Muluzi pumped in millions that saw the team even participating in the CAF Champions competition.

Otherwise Carlsberg Malawi came in with an annual two year sponsorship which was also provided to Bullets arch rivals Mighty Wanderers before the company pulled out of the club sponsorship to concentrate on sponsoring a national Cup and the Malawi National Football team.

The Peoples Team as Bullets is commonly known has been surviving on gate collections and well wishers, although last year it took a bold step to once again join the CAF competition which records show has ended up in having millions of unpaid bills.

Less the outstanding debts and squabbles that saw the team’s performance dwindle at Chitowe in Dwangwa a fortnight ago, Nyasa has picked the team while it is swimming in glory.

Bullets are currently leading the Super League of Malawi with 43 points from 19 games, seven points clear from second placed Mafco FC. They have only tasted a single defeat from Salima based Army outfit, Airborne Rangers. Rangers who last week went down 1-2 to less fancied and relegation threatened Fisd Wizards pulled a surprise when they humiliated Bullets with a 2-1 beating.–Additional reporting by Loius Phiri, Nyasa Times

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