Chris Theko
Telecommunications giant Vodacom Lesotho has returned to the nation’s biggest and wealthiest sport as headline sponsors of the elite soccer league now the Vodacom Premier League.
The Lesotho Premier League Management Committee (PLMC) agreed on a three-year multi-million maloti deal with the telecommunications company in a move that means that VCL come hot on the heels of counterparts Econet Telecom Lesotho who were sponsors of the game for the past three seasons.
Before ETL took over as the main sponsors, VCL was the main sponsor of the game in a multi-leagues including cup games such as the Vodacom Soccer Spectacular, and rumour has it that its involvement this time around likewise, might stretch beyond just sponsoring the elite league.
According spokesperson of PLMC Qamako Mahao, an agreement has been reached between the two parties with the new three-year sponsorship package to be worth an average of M2.8 million per season.
“It is true that we have entered an agreement with Vodacom Lesotho for three football seasons and the launch will take place next week. This was the best of the offers that were on the table and we could not refuse the offer as it’s an improvement from the previous one,†Mahao said.
Newsday Sport has learned that in exact figures, PLMC will receive M2.5 million in the first season, M2.8 million in the second season and M3.2million in the third season.
“For now all I can confirm is that they (Vodacom) are the new sponsors for the next three seasons but other things will be revealed at a later stage since we are yet to conclude the details†he said.
Meanwhile, Vodacom Lesotho released a statement yesterday confirming the signing of the agreement.
“Vodacom Lesotho together with the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA), are proud to announce the successful signing of a new sponsorship agreement, under the custodianship of the Premier League Management Committee (PLMC).
“Under the agreement Vodacom Lesotho will become the Premier League’s headline sponsor for three years/three seasons to the value of Eight million five hundred thousand maloti (M8 500 000),†part of the statement reads. sdlo
