Club merchandise is generally dependent on the popularity and on-pitch success of the clubs themselves as it is a key factor in the sustainability of the club.
Clubs also make money through gate takings but to be sure of continued and consistent cash-flow in the clubs’ coffers, the corporate world needs to come on board and partner with them.
Money that a professional club makes through gate takings can’t be compared to the money that comes from kit deals with sportswear makers and from other big players in the football kit business which are corporate sponsorship deals that have taken center stage.
This can be done through different marketing strategies either by having one sponsor on the clubs’ jerseys who folks more than others or featuring them all through wearing shirts in different competitions with different names each sponsor attached to a different competition as long as they are not in direct competition with the sponsors of said competition.
The other sponsorship deal can come through providing free accommodation, food, transport to the team.
With such sponsorship in place, a club can have no problem financially and results are the only thing they need to worry about as they are key to keeping sponsors to remain glued to the club as they will love to partner with the winning club to grow their business or brand.
The corporate world or sponsors don’t just partner with clubs just for the sake of doing it, they want to reap results to also benefit them through sales and advertisement. They will partner with a club with a big fan base or clubs who are willing to grow their brands to reach a wider population.
Sponsors will partner the clubs on two conditions which are a big fan base and the club who are willing to grow their brand through being open to marketing strategies they will bring to the table with also the club positing positive results to woo fans to them by having them at their venues who in-turn will see other things which sponsor will put on their jerseys and billboards displayed at match venues which will take their attention and asking more through reaching out to sponsors and buying their products in-return meaning all parties have ended up with a win-win situation a thing sponsors always want. That’s strategy.
One thing we need to know is that this doesn’t come cheaply, it needs hard work to convince them of a win-win situation. A large Fan base alone doesn’t bring sponsors on board.
Other clubs who are struggling financially should learn from City of Lusaka who despite being in the FAZ second-tier league, they are doing a good job financially all thanks to sponsors they have brought on through their tireless works.
No sponsorship deal is small nor big, clubs should be respective not to overlook any sponsorship deal as everything start from small before it becomes big.
ZSL Clubs should emulate City of Lusaka by making sure their board goes to work and manages to find sponsors. A large fan base is nothing when it can not woo the desired results. Gate takings alone can’t sustain a club as football is a costly endeavor.
City Yamoto has secured another sponsorship deal. They have signed a shirt deal with Bolabet on a three-year run.
The deal will cover several aspects including kit sponsorship(shirt sponsorship of having the name of BOLABET on their jersey), stadium branding where billboards will be branded with BOLABET name and other relevant information about the company, and various promotions. City has said the deal ranks as one of the largest sponsorship partnerships in Zambian football but they said it will remain confidential.
Signing the deal at MTN stadium of woodlands Bolabet director, Bratislav Salipur, said “Bolabet is excited to announce this partnership with city of Lusaka. Bolabet is a key part of the sports ecosystem in Zambia, and we are proud to be associated with City
Yamoto.”
Representing City of Lusaka club general manager, Justin Palmer, said, “I encourage all fans to recognize the investment that Bolabet are putting into Zambian football. As fans, we should support those who are contributing to the development of the beautiful game.”
This is not the first deal City of Lusaka has secured. Recently they signed two deals with Hybrid poultry to supply them with eggs, they also signed another one with Capital fisheries.
FIVE REASONS WHY CITY OF LUSAKA HAVE BEEN SECURING SUCH DEALS AND LESSONS TO TO OTHER CLUBS
1) City of Lusaka has shown ambition to be a big club in Zambia and have shown this through positive results they have been posting and are in pole position to return to elite Zambian football showpiece the ZSL a thing which sponsors want. Other clubs need to work on results and perform better in CAF club games
2) City have a hardworking board and manager, these deals have not come on their own, City of Lusaka have been reaching the sponsors at their doorstep. A lesson to others who think sponsors will follow them, No! they don’t.
3) City has a large fan base as they are one of the teams who have a lot of fans in Lusaka a thing which sponsors look for mostly. A lesson to other clubs, if they want sponsors to work with them they need to grow their fan base, sponsors want to work from where they see potential
4) City of Lusaka hasn’t looked down on sponsors or sponsorship package. They know that little by little make a bunch. A lesson to other teams, don’t look down at sponsorship package as they will be of value despite seeming little as the same little will be big when others come on board. Sponsors also wouldn’t want to work with people who have a bad ego and if treated badly they will tell others and if they do, the club’s name will be tarnished and no one will partner them in the end teams will struggle financially.
5) City of Lusaka know that despite the deal may seem small if Bolabet and others who have come on board, their brand’s boom out of these deals, they will benefit immensely and they will continue partnering with them to keep growing their brands and as they grow, they will also increase their sponsorship package to the team which will result in the team having enough funds in the coffers. The lesson in this is that do not look down on a small sponsorship package as they can grow.
