Wa Ganyu Reporter
Following uncertainties of the Super League of Malawi, Wa Ganyu journalists have been working on the matter and here’s what we’ve gathered!
The story started last year in 2023. League sponsor Telecom Network Malawi pls (TNM) signed a three year agreement with Super League of Malawi valued at K150 million, taking us to 2025.
This year, Sulom leadership and FAM president Fleetwood Haiya told Malawians that they want the package to be increased. They value the 2024 season at K1.3 billion.
Wa Ganyu has it that before the end of last season, Sulom planned to approach TNM officials over the sponsorship deal, despite being in full knowledge that a three year deal had already been sealed.
Before the two parties met, TNM CEO Michel Herbert already made a promise that they would triple the league sponsorship from the current K150 million to K450 million. The promise was made on January 19, 2024.
Though the promise was made, Sulom leadership had a plan: “Let us approach TNM and we tell them our wish. We need them to make a contribution of about K500 million and not K450 million per year,” a reliable source tells Wa Ganyu.
Sulom submitted their wish to the sponsor and TNM told them that on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, they would have an event where the new sponsorship package would be announced.
While waiting for the day, Sulom approached Premier Bet to partner in sponsoring the league. Premier Bet accepted and offered K260 million.
Before signing the deal, Sulom wrote to TNM officials who blessed the deal. “They had no issue with that and we proceeded.”
When the deal was sealed, TNM had some reservation as Wa Ganyu understands: “Premier Bet deals with TNM and also Airtel in their business, how do we approach this?” This puzzle was well explained by Sulom and TNM agreed.
They all settled that a new sponsorship would be agreed and announced on the same day, April 3.
Sulom officials including the president had left Lilongwe for Blantyre to attend the important meeting.
The venue was booked for the function, with everything sorted, only to be told it was moved to Thursday and from there nothing materialised!
Wa Ganyu breaks the puzzle in this two fold:
The league will still proceed per the old agreement, even if TNM will not show up. The current sponsorship means that the sponsorship money is still at K150 million, meaning the winner will pocket K50 million as it was the case last year.
The figure might change if Sulom uses the money from Premier Bet and other sponsors which Sulom have also approached.
TNM is doing everything per the contract they signed with Sulom last year as we wait to see the end of their tagline, “always with you”.
