BPL in financial crisis
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The Botswana Football Association (BFA) President Maclean Letshwiti will complete his first term at the helm of Botswana’s football in agonising fashion.
The Botswana Football Association (BFA) President Maclean Letshwiti will complete his first term at the helm of Botswana’s football in agonising fashion. Touted as savvy businessman who would catapult football to financial success, the realities have been rude awakening for the former Mochudi Centre Chiefs investor.
Following his ascendance to the throne in 2016, Letshwiti was expected to hasten the league’s commercialisation agenda. The league is yet to achieve autonomy from the BFA, hence it looks up to the association for guidance, financial support and administration. While not all in the football fraternity believed in Letshwiti’s “too good to be true” promises, there was a consensus around improving the state of football in Botswana, especially on the administration side. Many however did not expect that BPL — after securing a lucrative deal with BTC — would sink to the gutter and deteriorate to a point of desperation.
BTC, having agreed to extend its sponsorship to the country’s elite league in 2017, signing a new three-season deal worth P39 million with local football federation, returned to the Lekedi Centre unimpressed because the league has turned into a mess. BTC’s displeasure followed a litany of complaints forwarded to the local football body about the negative publicity surrounding the domestic game. In March of last year, the BTC accused BPL of contract breach relating to various matters, including failing to broadcast the agreed number of league games.
BTC announced beginning of the current season that it will cut P5 million from the annual P10 million given to the league as per the current deal due to the league’s failure to fulfil its obligations. This week, BPL released a statement affirming that all the 16 teams competing in the elite league will away empty handed at the end of the season, because for the first time in years, the league is terribly broke. Not even a P7 million injection into the league by the BTC by Barcalys bank (now Absa) could save the situation. “Due to the financial challenges, there are no prize money at the moment planned for the end of the season.
The clubs are aware of this situation. The Association is still pursuing different avenues to source funds. Should the initiatives bear fruits, the Association will reconsider this position,” indicated the statement released by the league this week. In the back of this statement there are many hardships, some perhaps beyond the control of Letshwiti such as shortage of facilities. But failure to secure TV rights and league sponsorship for the league as well as reported unprecedented low turnout in league games remain indictment that faces Letshwiti’s first term as the leader of Botswana football.
Letshwiti is said to have been involved in football administration at club level as a young as he was 20 years old, and it was believed that this background, coupled with his business acumen and network, he will be the man who exalt Botswana football to financial success. But today, Letshwiti presides over a scalp, a league which is worse-off than the one he inherited from his predecessor, and nemesis Tebogo Sebogo. During his bid for BFA presidency Letshwiti’s message was that, he wanted to make sure there is investor confidence in football so that more money can be put into it. However, the departure of BTC, which has splashed P108 million on premier league football since 2008, is a slap on Letshwiti’s face.
Incidentally, Letshwiti sits on BTCL board, where major decisions are made about the corporation’s dealings. The BFA President has impeccable reputation for turning poorly performing companies into profit making entities, but at BFA, that reputation failed to show up. BFA heads for executive committee elections at the end of the season, and Letshwiti may have a tough time explaining why he has to be given another shot after a lacklustre leadership in his first term, a leadership which has evidently cost the league its most lucrative deal in Botswana’s football history.
Sport
Orange injects P350 000 into Phikwe marathon
Mobile network Orange Botswana is committed to supporting the development of local sport. Through its sponsorship, the company will be able to promote and market the sport. According to Maano Masisi, the company believes that sport can unite people from different backgrounds.
He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
The Selebi Phikwe Marathon is scheduled to take place on July 29, 2023. It is expected that it will attract international, regional, and social runners. A total of P216 000 has been allocated for the prize money for the first ten places in the 42.2 km race. For the 15km and 10km races, the LOC will give away prizes to the first five places.
Sport
Big Guns for Botswana Grand Prix
The National Stadium will be lit up with fireworks on April 29, 2023, as some of the best international athletes will participate in the maiden Botswana Grand prix.
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Sport
AFRICA’S RECOVERY: Sports as game changer
The year 2022 witnessed unprecedented phenomena. Several Africans- Gotytom Gebreslase, Sharon Lokedi, Victor Kiplangat, Tamarit Tola and many others- swept the World’s marathons records.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting control measures implemented in several countries, led to many high-level sports competitions being cancelled or shelved, the Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games was moved to 2026.
Founder and Executive Chairman, African Sports and Creative Institute, Will Mabiakop, says the inability to hold traditional and amateur sports events have had a serious effect on public health overall, including mental health, sparking a revolution whereby athletes began to talk more openly about stress, mental overload and performance anxiety.
“Africa is home to the fastest growing economies before the crisis, no longer on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). COVID-19 deepened interdependence between SDGs, making them harder to achieve, especially SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality_ as the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on poorer countries, and heavier burdens (such as care work) fell to women.”
Mabiakop stresses that as policymakers contemplate actions to speed up recovery and build resilience, they must argue that sports and creative businesses should play a central feature in this effort.
“The sports economy worldwide is estimated at 5% of GDP, but only 0.5% in Africa. If exploited, Africa’s sports and creative industries can offer policymakers innovative solutions. Especially, as regards job creation, and providing employment to the 15 million people entering the job market annually.”
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY DO THIS?
By leveraging the two-for-one concept: past studies shown that a 1% growth in the economy delivers a 2% job increment in this sector (these ratios are calculated using data from 48 African countries and adjusted to the reality of the sports economy in Africa by the authors). There are between 30 and 50 job types, in sports and creative industries, respectively. These jobs do not fade away with the first major shock.
Mabiakop indicated that policymakers can use these industries to tackle multiple crises- jobs, poverty, and climate risks. Sports diplomacy- defined as communication, representation and negotiation in or through the prism of sports- has proven effective in building inclusive and cohesive societies. Moreover, sports and the creative industry can support better mental health and well-being, both important for productivity.
“Policymakers can also be true to the game by leveraging culture and tradition to celebrate identity and reap commercial value in sports, textiles and jewelry. Creative sectors allow deeper connection with culture, are not easily copied and provide great economic potential.”
He said supporting grassroots sports has powerful distributional effects. “Fortunately, technology has made reaching wide audiences easier, generating higher rates of success when talent is discovered.”
However, Mabiakop held that potential pitfalls must be highlighted. “First avoid build it and they will come policies with infrastructures denuded from the rest of the ecosystem. Like the many sports stadiums left largely unused.”
“Policymakers must remain mindful of how these sectors move the needle in human capital development. Also, align the requisite public policies needed for progress from grassroots participation to professional sports, and even to international sporting events. They should also support investment instruments to render these sectors performant.”