An insider has revealed exclusively to the Sunday World what led to the controversial decision by the PSL to turn down sponsorship deals for Moroka Swallows and Cape Town City.
Football supporters in some quarters still blame PSL bosses for “sabotaging Moroka Swallows” by flagging sponsorship deals they had already clinched with Telkom and Hollywoodbets a few seasons ago.
Swallows chairperson David Mogashoa sold the club’s status at the end of last season citing the club’s financial woes brought upon by a lack of sponsorship.
Cape Town City also had a showdown with the league regarding their shirt sponsor with SportsPesa a few seasons ago.
An insider close to the events this week gave Sunday World the lowdown on how the Swallows and City sponsorship deals with Telkom and betting company SportsPesa were flagged and later turned down.
“Telkom laid down a pre-condition for Swallows that the league did not agree [with]. Telkom wanted an entry into the TV sector and the deal was for the telecommunications company to broadcast all Swallows’ home games via their proposed bill with SABC to take over SABC3.
“The PSL could not approve of such a deal because it was [a] in conflict of interest to the existing contract with the current broadcast sponsors SuperSport,” said the informant.
“Swallows subsequently submitted papers to rope in Hollywoodbets as sponsors, and the league had no objection. But the deal was subject to Hollywoodbets signing the PSL’s declaration – which is an instrument that controls betting in SA professional football space.
“Hollywoodbets declined to sign the declaration. The PSL didn’t reject that sponsorship. And that’s how the cookie crumbled,” he added.
Mogashoa was at one point up in arms and complained that the league had blocked his club from getting a lucrative deal with Telkom as that would mean a conflict of interest because the league already a telecommunication company, MTN as cup sponsors.
Last week league chairperson Dr Irvin Khoza said Mogashoa had since apologised for his utterances.
“Football is an industry of rules and you must follow and comply with the rules. The SportsPesa issue (with Cape Town City) was an unfortunate experience because there was a moratorium on everybody, and they decided to go ahead with it and against the rules – but that is history,” said Khoza.
“I had several meetings with Hollywoodbets. I had meetings with sponsors who wanted to sponsor Swallows. We do not chase away anybody, Swallows boss [David] Mogashoa wrote a letter of apology to the media and told the truth.
“As chairman of the league, it is the responsibility of the league to help clubs get sponsors. Any help that the club wants, we give them the support. The monthly grant is not an obligation or a must have because it is not in the rules. We give the money as and when it is available – that’s why it was important to create a grant for the teams. I am at peace as the chairman,” added Khoza.
