LAST March, there was jubilation when multi-million dollar group Better Brands Jewellery announced a sponsorship package for Premier Soccer League club Highlanders.
At the time, Tonde Sakupwanya, the Better Brands managing director, said he was not at liberty to divulge how long the partnership would last or how much they would be pouring into the club, but they would “assist Highlanders as long as both parties are happy with the marriage”.
Sakunda Holdings would remain as Bosso’s principal sponsors for the first team, while Better Brands would cater for costs for the Highlanders Academy, which includes all its junior teams as well as the Highlanders Royals.
Better Brands would also pay staff and players for the academy and women’s team, the Highlanders Royals.
That would include winning bonuses. The winning bonus package would also extend to the first team.
Fair and fine.
Fast-forward to the end of the year, Scottland FC — a football team owned by gold magnate Pedzai “Scott”Sakupwanya, who is also the owner of Better Brands Jewellery — gain promotion into the Premiership. Highlanders went on to congratulate Scottland for gaining promotion into the Premiership.
Today, we would not be wrong to assume that Better Brands will want to continue to “assist Highlanders as long as both parties are happy with the marriage”.
- Inside Sport: Local stadiums in urgent need of attention
- Bullets ease relegation fears
- FC Platinum move six points clear
- Clinical Herentals leapfrog Ngezi to sixth
Keep Reading
Now that the benefactors also have a club in the league, will the relationship sustain? Better Brands have not said anything about their sponsorship of Highlanders in the new season.
Again, Better Brands last August announced a major sponsorship deal worth US$80 000 with the Zimbabwe Football Association, becoming the official kit sponsor for the Warriors’ 2025 Afcon qualification campaign.
The partnership was to provide the national team with training, travel, leisure and matchday apparel as they competed in Group J against Cameroon, Namibia and Kenya.
As well, just a few days ago, Better Brands Gold announced a US$500 000 sponsorship deal with 2024 league winners Simba Bhora FC.
How absurd that a club sponsors another that is in the same league.
The campaign for winning the 2025 PSL title race could certainly be a blank cheque for the monied club, Scottland.
After all, who would have the guts to step on the toes of fellow PSL clubs and national football team benefactor?
Last year, there were reports of Scottland “buying” games so that they could quickly amass points and gain promotion into the Premiership.
If, indeed, it happened as alleged, who will have the power to sanction them if, suppose, they repeat the alleged misdemeanour in the top league?
The element of match fixing comes into play big time, especially when those teams are contesting for the championship.
Next is the race for Zifa president, which is on. One of the contestants is a top executive at one of the league’s clubs sponsors.
Sakunda Holdings have been sponsoring Premiership clubs — Dynamos and Highlanders — in the past season.
Now, Nqobile Magwizi, Sakunda Holdings’ project manager, is also one of the frontrunners in the race for Zifa presidency.
At the same time, last month, Sakunda Holdings was officially unveiled as a new sponsor for Scottland FC. Speaking at the unveiling, Sakunda Holdings owner Kudakwashe Tagwirei said, “I support soccer, I support Dynamos, I support Highlanders, but when it comes to Scottland, it’s beyond support. It’s blood ties.”
Sakunda will sponsor Scottland to the tune of US$1,5 million, will sponsor the team kit and the coach and captain will be provided with cars as part of deal.
So, a big company is sponsoring a football team which is sponsoring another football team in the same topflight league.
One of the same company’s executive is running for the top office of the national football mother body.
How incestuous!
