* With only K150 per month, supporters will get covered with K100,000 if a policyholder dies with K500 earning K600,000 cover
* Registration to the policy is done by phone using the USSD code *325# platform both for TNM and Airtel lines
By Duncan Mlanjira
Super League of Malawi (SULOM), in conjunction with NICO Life, on Friday courted club supporters’ representatives at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe to sensitive them on the benefits of NICO Life’s product named Sapota Funeral Cover, which was rolled out in October.
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The product intends to provide funeral policy cover to supporters for the 16 teams in the league at very minimal premiums while remitting a percentage of revenue accumulated to the clubs.
A report on www.sulommw.com quotes NICO Life Head of Innovation & Growth, Steve Kanyoza as emphasizing that the initiative will benefit both the clubs — through the provision of extra revenue streams and also the supporters for very affordable funeral cover.
With only K150 per month, supporters will get covered with K100,000 if a policyholder dies while with K500 per month, the holder will get K600,000 cover.
Registration to the policy is done by phone using the USSD code *325# platform both for TNM and Airtel lines.
SULOM vice-general secretary,Donex Chilonga hailed the initiative as one way of diversifying revenue bases for top-flight clubs in line with SULOM strategic objectives where they will share 10% of total premiums.
The SULOM website quotes Chitipa United FC supporters committee vice-chairperson, Samson Sibale as taking cognizance that while the initiative is set to help the supporters individually, it will also promote the 16 teams.
In his manifesto prior to being elected SULOM president in February, Fleetwood Haiya promised to maximize revenue for the teams, by among others, bringing in more corporate partners.
After his 90 days in office, Haiya reiterated this commitment to make sure that teams participating in the top flight league realize more revenue and this season, they will roll out financial literacy training for club officials as well as players as one way of empowering them.
All Super League are to receive K9 million for their operational activities of which K4.5 million has already been given out and Haiya emphasized that “this is contrary to the past decades whereby teams were struggling to fulfill commitments”.
He further called on the Government, the corporate world and other stakeholders to support efforts towards reforming Malawi’s football, saying they will get value for their investment.
In May, SULOM launched an e-ticketing platform in collaboration with its top flight league sponsor, TNM Plc, which is the first of its kind in Malawi, which will use Mpamba debit card to replace cash at gates during TNM Super League matches.
This is also a plus for Haiya who has been a proponent for improved gate management and match revenue maximisation, which was part of his manifesto during the campaign for the presidency.
He had highlighted in his manifesto that challenges being faced in game and gate management was failure to embrace digital platforms and leveraging on existing e-networks.
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Malawi National Council of Sports followed suit by announcing that it is set to adopt report findings of the taskforce committee on revenue from gate collections which it constituted and highly recommended the football authorities to embrace E-ticketing in all facilities.
Board chairperson, Sunduzwayo Madise emphasized that E-ticketing is the only solution that can help in curbing gate fraud and theft at football matches.
Madise admitted that the increase in fraud and theft in gate revenue is rampant in the country and put the football development at a risk as it is, among other things, making players suffer since their welfare is not improving.
Instead of benefiting from their sweat, Madise said it was sad that it is only those who are involved in fraud and theft who enjoy the money — adding that the problem is also forcing potential sponsors to stay away from football in order to protect their brand.
He described the report as “packed with facts that are really restricting our game to develop and for these challenges to be completely eliminated it will take time as it is a big system or culture but if all football stakeholders can work in collaboration we can easily deal with it”.
“Yes, it can take time because those behind these loopholes will be definitely fighting back but as Sports Council, we are impressed with the report and will adopt it because we believe that the E-ticketing procedure recommended in the report is indeed the best solution,” Madise said.
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