Msungama says Sulom should open up on sponsors

As the TNM Super League sponsorship deal comes to an end this December, the Super League of Malawi (SULOM) has been asked to open up for multiple sponsors in order to develop the league.

Minister of Youth and Sports, Ulemu Msungama, feels what teams get at the end of the season is far from enough compared to what they spend.

“It is important for a number of companies to come together and sponsor the Super League, not just one company. In Zambia for example, the league is worth 1.3 Billion Kwacha because several companies are involved. In Mozambique and South Africa the league is lucrative but here our league is only worth K90 million and the winner gets K15 million only.

“We need to sit down and strategize on how best we can develop our league. Sliver Strikers, for example, spends K500 million the whole season and yet they are competing for K15 million,” Msungama told a local radio station.

Analyst Higger Mkandawire entirely agrees with the minister.

“I agree with what the minister is saying. SULOM should open up for more companies and they should get input from the clubs. The league should not bear a name of a single company. In other countries they simply call it ‘Super League’ or ‘Premier League’ to allow multiple sponsors to work together,” said Mkandawire.

Taking his turn, George Chiusiwa, said the TNM/SULOM deal is somehow laughable.

“The deal between TNM and SULOM is laughable. It is difficult for our elite league to develop. What the minister is saying makes a lot of sense. We only say football is business but our elite league does not reflect the same,” remarked Chiusiwa.