KAMPALA

TELECOMMINICATIONS company MTN Uganda are in negotiations with the three giant clubs SC Villa, Express and KCC for a possible three-year sponsorship deal.
Daily Monitor can exclusively report that the deal is worth Shs40m for each club every year.

A source told Daily Monitor that apart from cash, the clubs would each get six sets of uniforms, six sets of training kit, 5000 flags each, publicity, mobile phones to all the playing staff and officials plus monthly airtime, internet services for the club and Vuvuzelas (horns), famously used by South African clubs.

Under the agreement, Villa, Express or KCC can pocket Shs10m if any of them wins the league. Second place is worth Shs5m and Shs3m for third.

The deal also includes continental success. A semi-final place in the African Champions League is worth Shs10m while victory in Africa’s most prestigious club competition would merit Shs20m.

However Express secretary Julius Kavuma Kabenge says the deal is still informal and not worth reporting. “The demands are too much. First you need to have a stadium so that they (MTN) advertise and get their mileage,” Kabenge said.

KCC Geoffrey Kisekka chairman was also cagey about the deal. “For us, we have our own stadium which we can upgrade and use for league matches. We also own the city so I think we are worth more than Shs40m per year quoted,” Kisekka said.

Edward Luyimbazi Mugalu, SC Villa secretary, confirmed knowledge of deal. “We are just waiting for the next step.”

Another sponsorship arrangement of a different nature is apparently being planned with Lira based team Boroboro Tigers FC, Ediofe Hills from Arua and Mbale based CRO.

Boroboro chairman Omara Apita confirmed that the club approached MTN before the season started. “We made contacts with MTN since we our own stadium. We thought it would be an advantage if they painted it in their colours. But we have not received any feed back.”

THE PLANNED THREE YEAR DEAL

lShs40m each for Villa, KCC and Express FC every year
lEach club to get six sets of uniforms
lEach club to get six sets of training kit
lEach club to get mobile phones to all playing staff and officials
lEach club to get monthly airtime
lLeague winning club (of the 3) to receive Shs10m
lRunner up club (of the 3) to receive Shs5m