SH10M grant pledge: KPL says it will negotiate new TV deal to boost clubs

Thika United’s Jackson Macharia dribbles past City Stars’ Nelson Marasowe (left) during their KPL match at Kasarani Stadium on August 18. [PHOTO: DENNIS OKEYO]

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) says it intends to increase grants to its clubs to about Sh10 million when they negotiate a new deal with broadcast sponsors SuperSport next year.

The company’s Head of Finance committee, George Odhiambo, also clarified that league winners receive prize money of Sh4 million, which includes Sh1.5 million to help them meet obligations of continental football.

Odhiambo also challenged clubs to learn to live within the Sh6.5 million they are currently receiving even as plans are being made to increase the allocations.

“In 2009, the grant was Sh750,000 because the sponsorship was lower. This has progressively increased to Sh6.5 million and our vision is to increase it to Sh10 million per year.

“We are negotiating a new deal next year and hope it can allow us to pay the figure we want to pay,” he said.

Odhiambo, at the same time, revealed that the company lost Sh21 million at the beginning of this year on foreign currency fluctuations and revealed that they are targeting to be paid in the more stable dollars in a new broadcast deal.

Regarding Gor Mahia’s plea that KPL should have helped them in the regional club duty, Odhiambo said this is the responsibility of the local federation.

“When Gor Mahia qualified to play in the tournament, they were representing the country and not KPL. It was therefore the responsibility of FKF to give them money or source sponsorship for them,” he said.

Odhiambo also said it is unfair for FKF chairman, Sam Nyamweya, to suggest that 80 per cent of the sponsorship money should be given to clubs with only 20 per cent going to administration.

“As it is, we are already even taking up some of the responsibility that belongs to the federation. We are paying for referees training and some seminars which are actually their responsibilities.

Furthermore, we pay FKF almost Sh10 million every year and we lent them Sh2 million when Harambee Stars were going to Lesotho for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match,” said Odhiambo.

He added: “We have worked hard to cut down on our expenses. Previously, we used to have governing council meetings all the time, but this has been capped to a maximum of six per year. We understand the money is not enough but clubs must also reduce their expenses by living within their means.”

He revealed that the big clubs Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards always want more money but he insisted this cannot be done because all clubs are equal (before KPL).

“If we give them more money then we will kill competition because they can buy all the good players and afford to pay them while the rest will continue to struggle,” he pointed out.

In Kigali, Rwanda, where the Cecafa Kagame Cup is going on, Gor Mahia vice chairman John Pesa said lack of money has deterred the club from progressing in the annual champion clubs tournament.

Pesa, who was team leader in Kigali, said all top clubs in the continent sent their scouts in Kigali to recruit good players.

“But we don’t have the money to recruit and as such we cannot do anything, but just use what we have, which is not good enough,” he said.

Gor were bundled out of the tournament without winning a single match.

KPL clubs are struggling with massive financial problems, even though SuperSport sponsors them and offers live transmission of their matches.

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