Is Zim football that lucrative?

 IT ALL started with the Delma Lupepe’s Amazulu, Gijima Msindo’s Fire Batteries , Tanda Tavaruva of Masvingo United, Ronnie Chihota-led Blackpool, Eric Rosen’s Motor Action, Solo­mon Mugavazi-owned Monomo­tapa, Joel Sorengedo of Shooting Stars, Gift Banda’s Njube Sun­downs, Walter Magaya’s Yadah Stars and other earlier football pioneers such as Eric, and Fanuel Gwanzura.

But the revolution now has new benefactors like Scottland’s Pedzai Sakupwanya, Wicknell Chivayo, Hardrock owner Shep­herd Chahwanda, Ferg Aveli and Pharoah’s Avelion, and the Jona­than Matanga-led FC Oden.

While many locals have sought the fortune and fame associated with soccer in much the same way as the likes of Silvio Ber­lusconi, Patrice Motsepe, Roman Abramovic and Arabian billion­aires, one of the lingering ques­tions is whether Zimbabwean football is that “lucrative to war­rant these investments” – and in a world where the only profitable clubs are the likes of relegation-threatened Totenham Hotspurs!

“Clubs built around individual sponsorship are unlikely to enjoy long-term stability, as they often lack the corporate-backed finan­cial structures needed to weather the demands of top-flight foot­ball,” said Green Fuel and Harare City coach, and Dynamos player Masimba Dinyero.

“Without consistent institu­tional funding, such teams strug­gle to meet operational costs, retain talent and remain competitive over time, ul­timately risk­ing collapse, a fate that befell former sides like Blackpool and Motor Ac­tion, which faded from the domestic scene after failing to sustain finan­cial support,” he said.

And the 1989 Soccer Star not only said many business-linked people had ventured into foot­ball hoping for better fortunes, but eventually quit after finding the going of sustaining clubs to be tough, as in the case of Black­pool, Motor Action and Monomo­tapa – a clear demonstration of the dangers or pitfalls associated with the capital-intensive game.

“Way back in 1995, Black­pool, a famous club that reached the semi-finals of the African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1995, sold their franchise to Motor Action in 1999.

“Sadly, the Harare-based side, who were popularly known as the Mighty Bulls, faded away into oblivion after winning the 2010 premiership title.

This comes as in February this year the Daily News did a story on the growing influence of cash-rich individuals such as Chivayo and Sakupwanya on Zimbabwean football.

Another iconic premiership club that fell victim to the unfor­giving economic environment was 2008 premier­ship cham­pions Mono­motapa. After being weighed down by the severe finan­cial burdens caused by their CAF Champions League run, Mono­motapa were eventually relegated before petering out due to finan­cial challenges.

Harare-based sports administrator Solo­mon Manganyi concurs with Dinyero on the need to for local clubs to shift toward sustain­able business models for football clubs, particularly those reliant on ‘handouts’ from individual proprietors.

“Our football ecosystem has many aspects to address, that range from governance issues, right personnel hiring and club ownership structures.

Several times we have noticed that those in football administra­tion have failed to balance pro­fessionalism as an administrator and personal business as an in­dividual.

“They (individual club owners) have thrown away the culture of treating football as a business but taking it as a family thing, lead­ing to questionable hiring in a bid to maintain grip on something,” wrote Manganyi, adding that the way local clubs are run is a big turn-off for corporate sponsors.

“Does club ownership struc­ture have a bearing on its ability to attract sponsors or generate revenue? The answer is, yes, it has a huge bearing which most administrators and owners ig­nore.”

In a bid to promote the sus­tainability of clubs, Zifa has be­gun implementing club licensing across the country’s four divi­sional leagues as part of ongo­ing efforts to boost local football standards.

Being spearheaded by Zifa vice president and former CEO, Kennedy Ndebele, club licens­ing seeks to empower clubs to meet essential standards in governance, financial manage­ment, technical capacity, football development as well as structural integrity, and sus­tainabil­ity. .

“Club licensing is the foun­dation upon which sustain­able football is built anywhere in the world.

“It allows us to safeguard our clubs, and ensure that players operate in environments that are well organised, safe and profes­sional,” Ndebele said.

Early this year, Zifa club li­censing manager Simbarashe Gochera said the push for clubs to professionalise their operations was meant to support clubs rath­er than punish them.

“Our goal is to guide and empower clubs as they work towards meeting the standards. Club licensing is not intend­ed to exclude but to elevate.

“When clubs are properly structured, the benefits flow to the entire football community.

“We want Zimbabwean clubs to be competitive in the region and on the continent and that starts with strong internal sys­tems,” Gochera said.

However, the current football benefactors insist that they are in the Zimbabwean game for the long haul.

Chivayo has poured millions into several clubs and both women and men national foot­ball teams while his brothers are bankrolling Division two side Ave­lion FC.

Scott, on his part, has bank­rolled several premiership clubs through his company -Better­brands.

The unassuming Chahwanda, on the other hand, has splashed US$20 million dollars on a state-of-the-art stadium in Kwekwe that bears his name.

PATRICK MUBWANDARIKWA