What a difference a day and a week can make! A week ago, Township Rollers was seemingly staring down a deep black tunnel.
The Blue Train, as the team is often affectionately called, was falling apart. Not just players, big name players were leaving the team enmasse.
Heavily in debt, no sponsors on board, the future looked bleak. Fast forward to this week, a new sense of hope and energy is engulfing Rollers’ support base. For once, they can now see some light at the end of the tunnel.
Last week, the team unveiled two sponsors. On Tuesday, Rollers unveiled a P2 million, two seasons’ sponsorship from Bet267. Under the terms, the betting company will pay P1 million per season to place its name on the back of Popa’s replica.
Two days later, the team announced Hope Tee Energy as its main sponsor for the season. The deal will see the locally owned company pump P6 million into Rollers over the next three years at P2 million per season.
Hope Tee Energy and Bet267 arrival at the Gaborone based outfit signals a new path towards sustainability for Popa Popa. Instead of finding ‘so called investors,’ the team is now reaching out to cash or in-kind sponsors.
So far, the team has lured in sportswear company Diadora and retail company Options Botswana. There is also O3 as the team’s hydration partner. According to reliable sources, other sponsor(s) and or partner(s) will also be unveiled in the near future.
‘Our ambition is clear. We want a stronger Township Rollers. A professionally run Township Rollers. A competitive Township Rollers and a commercially sustainable Township Rollers,’ club chairman Thapelo ‘Fish’ Pabalinga says.
In his own words, the only way to achieve that is to bring in as many sponsors and partners as possible. And unlike in the past, this time around, Rollers is not chasing investors. Direct cash and in-kind sponsorships and partnerships are what Rollers is seeking.
‘Rollers has tried the single investor route in the past. The problem with that approach is that when the investor is no longer capable of running the team or not making monies, they dump it and leave it in debts.’
‘We are now more inclined to saying, let us look at institutional investors. With single investors, the risk is too high. So, we are better off with multiple investors at a time. Multiple investors in different long-term agreements play the same role as a single investor.’
‘The good thing with multiple investors is that you spread risk. When one investor or sponsor ends the relationship, you are still left with others to work with others to work and the team continues,’ he explains.
Rollers’ current multiple sponsors over single investor approach has been largely shaped by the bitter aftertaste related to past single investors. To put things into context, the immediate past investor approach left Rollers with more than a P7 million debt. This has been largely due to placing investors in control of every aspect of the team. In turn, the investor took debts in the name of the team which they failed to pay.
One such debt, which is haunting Rollers, is the P1.2 million in unpaid dues owed to former coach Abdelaziz Karkache. The debt is directly linked to the team’s recent past investor Tendai Sebata. The debt has led to a FIFA imposed transfer ban for Rollers. The team will now have to channel almost 50 percent of the recently earned sponsorship monies from Hope Tee and Bet267 towards paying the debt.
‘We have to pay before the new season commences. These monies could have gone a long way in assisting us prepare for the league. Unfortunately, whereas other teams are using their monies to build or strengthen to be more competitive, we find ourselves having to pay investor inherited debts. But it is what it is, we have to focus and get the team as ready as it can be for the coming season.’
With so many challenges to overcome, Pabalinga and committee will, more than ever before, have to rely on Rollers’ supporters’ backing. Whether it is showing gratitude to sponsors and partners, attending games, buying merchandise or helping in any way possible, supporters will have to be on board if the team is to rise again.
In return for the faith and the support, the club chairman is promising transparency and accountability. As a start, the team’s partnership with retailer Options to sell merchandise will ensure all monies from this are accounted for.
‘The cornerstone of how we run this team is on accountability and proper governance. Misusing sponsorship funds or any team funds will only lead to sponsors staying away from the team. I am happy that the current executive has also wholeheartedly bought into this. They understand Rollers’ monies cannot be used for anything unrelated to the team.’
While the current debts will continue to hinder the team’s progress, Pabalinga believes the future will be better. ‘There are so many things at Rollers that we need to get right. Obviously, the pressing issues are preparing the team for the season and paying the debts for the transfer ban to be lifted.’
‘Once we have overcome these, the focus will then move towards acquiring assets for the club. This includes acquiring our own mini stadium, a team bus and other assets. Some of these will take time to be acquired, but we will strive to achieve them.’