TNM exit from Malalwi Super League sponsorship deal
Telecoms Networks Malawi (TNM) has reportedly pulled off its title sponsorship deal with the Super League of Malawi for the flagship league.
TNM sponsors the league with K95 million annually and has been sponsoring the league since 2006.
The withdraw as reported by Zodiak Broadcasting Station, has been triggered by the critiis the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) gave the company for barring other players from supporting the league.
Super League of Malawi (SULOM) General Secretary Williams Banda confirmed the decision by TNM to end its romance with the Super League.
But Banda accused the commission of failing to differentiate between football sponsorship and corporate social responsibility in making its ruling.
The move means all preparations for the 2017 Super League season which was slated to kick off on April 8 have been suspended.
Negotiations for renew of the contract with TNM have also been suspended, said Banda.
The contract between TNM and the Super League of Malawi was due to end on April 12.
Banda said the body will consult the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), clubs and the ministry of sports to review the decision by the CFTC and decide on the way forward.
He said in view of this development, FAM will take a leading role in deciding the way forward.
Among other factors CFTC has ruled that it was unfair for TNM and Sulom to bar other companies from advertising their products within football pitches during super league matches.
The development takes back Malawi football to 2005 when the national league had no sponsor and SULOM struggled to run it with limited resources from the government.
There has been no immediate comment from the CFTC to justify its ruling.
There has been speculation that such a ruling would be made after other companies complained that the agreement between TNM and SULOM was unfair and detrimental to the development of football.
Banda, however, argued in an interview with Zodiak that such accusations are not justified as other players have been allowed to sponsor super league related activities as well as individual teams.
He cited the recent coming in of Airtel to sponsor a K198 million three-year challenge cup for top eight Super League teams as one example of how other companies were participating in super league related activities.
Critics have already accused TNM of playing double standards by withdrawing its sponsorship by hiding behind the determination of the CFTC, saying it was not ready to have other players support the league.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
95 million,along season hahahaha it don’t match let them go
the problem is lack of knowledge on part of football administrators or either they chose to give a blind eye. We must admit the competition is healthy as it keeps stakeholders on their toes. I was surprised but its a lesson that next time fam ,Sulom should draft a contract basing on fair trading which should be accommodative that can benefit clubs not a sponsor dictating things as was the case with TNM.
BON VOYAGE TNM NDI NYAMILANDU WANUYO ASAAA
ayende amenewo, we are living in a world of competition, why are they running away from competition,
In as much as the withdrawal is detrimental, the clauses barring clubs from getting shirt sponsorship (for example) was bad! Why do we in Malawi do things as if we exist in a vacuum where we cannot learn from others? Look at the Premier League in England, we had Barclays Bank sponsoring the league (up to the 2015-2016 season, of course) but they never barred other companies from sponsoring shirts/jerseys of clubs! In fact, even direct competitors were able to sponsor team jerseys (e.g Standard Chartered Bank sponsored Liverpool shirts)! What is wrong with Malawi? Having all the clubs’ jerseys… Read more »
A tnm amasowa potulukira angofuna kuthawira thru CFTC. I think they are not happy with their competitor, airtel coming into top flight foot football. CFTC yangozuzura modandaula, popeleka zitsanzo za mene mobile companies in RSA amgwilira limozi mu PSL. And a TNM sikuti apasidwa penalty ayi. So I do not see this as a legitimate reason to pull out of football sponsorship. Moyo wophangira basi.
ALL THOSE WHO TALK BAD ABOUT CFTC SHOULD GO AND SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN RSA FOOTBALL SPONSORSHIP SHOULD NOT BE DONE IN A WAY OF MONOPOLISING , IT SHOULD GIVE ROOM TO OTHERS AS WELL LIKE IN RSA WHERE YOU FIND MTN AND VODACOM SHARING SPONSORSHIP AND ALSO ABSA AND NEDBANK WHILST THESE ARE COMPETITORS. WHAT IS SO SPECIAL WITH MALAWI, MBUZII KUKHOMERERA BASI . WHAT KIND OF SPONSORSHIP IS THIS WHEREBY A TEAM PLAYS THIRTY GAMES , AND I REPEAT THIRTY GAMES AND YOU GET MK15, MILLION AS THE PRIZE MONEY AND YOU CLAP HANDS, I MEAN THIS… Read more »
CFTC tengani super league basi mwamva. mukalephera kuchita sponsor timatcha…….
TNM is a business and not NGO. They used football to advertise their goods and services. On their platform, the Super league, they have a say on who advertises and who doesn’t. Its as simple as that. At the last AFCON, TOTAL was one of the official sponsors. There was no PUMA or SHELL or other fuel companies. People have to understand these simple basics. If Airtel takes over, they will obviously not allow TNM, ACCESS, MTL adverts. It’s that simple. Thanks TNM for the last 11 years. TNM, a truly Malawian giant.
Sitima imaphweka akamayendesa wina