MPICO hikes Gateway Netball sponsorship to K35million

Property investment company MPICO has announced a K10 million increase for the Gateway Central Region Netball Challenge, which is now at K35 million from last year’s K25 million.

Announcing the good news during a press briefing at the Gateway Mall on Thursday, July 21, 2018, MPICO’s marketing manager Ellen Chapinduka-Nyasulu said the increase follows a review of last year’s edition done by the company’s management, which she said was impressed with both the administration and the returns from the tournament.

“Since we started sponsoring the tournament in 2016 with an initial investment of K8 million, which overshoot to K13 million, we have been conducting reviews to see if the competition was meeting its objective of developing netball in central region and the country as a whole and our assessment is that everything has been right on track.

“It was pleasing to us as sponsors to see all major national netball trophies- GOtv and Presidential being won by central region teams, which is the first time for such a thing to happen in the history of Malawi netball. Not only that, the national netball team, the Queens is now been coached by a coach from Lilongwe (White Mlilima), which is a clear testimony of the progress being made in the region as a result of the sponsorship,” said Chapinduka-Nyasulu.

Civonets and Blue Eagles Sisters won GOtv and Presidential national netball tournaments, respectively, putting an end to the dominance of southern region based teams, which have been sweeping all national silver wear year-in-year out.

The MPICO marketing manager disclosed that this year’s champions for the Gateway Netball Challenge would cart home K3 million. She further said the champions would be allocated K4 million from the sponsorship amount to undertake a charitable activity at a location to be determined in due course.

Central Region Netball League (CRNL) vice chairperson Fernando Ligola was all thanks to MPICO for the continued support, which he said has changed the face of netball in the region.

“We are very thankful to MPICO for this partnership, which has produced great fruits within a short space of time. There is a lot more that the sponsorship has achieved apart from the mentioned outcomes. There is netball talent all over in the region because of this tournament and our prayer is that the partnership should go on for years to come,” said Ligola.

Regional Sports Development Officer for the centre Isaac Phiri, who represented both government and Sports Council described MPICO as a true partner in the development of the country’s netball. He urged CRNL to jealously guard the sponsorship by exercising accountability and administering the competition in a professional manner.

The official launch of this year’s competition has been scheduled for July 8, 2018 in Mponela and the tournament is expected to conclude on Mothers’ Day (October 15) after going through the district and regional phases.

 

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