Stars, brewers strike new deal

Tanzania Football Federation has signed a five-year sponsorship package worth 23 billion shillings to cater for the national soccer team. Taifa Stars in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday evening.

TFF president Leodegar Tenga, director of sports in the ministry for Information, culture, youth sports Leonard Thadeo and the brewer’s managing director Robin Geotzsche were present during the signing ceremony.

The brewer’s Kilimanjaro beer brand manager George Kavishe said the sponsorship will boost the national team ahead of African Nations and World cup qualifier series.

Proceeds from the sponsorship purse will be channeled to meet expenditures in three-star accommodation, technical trainings, medical and kits throughout the contractual span.

The brewers would purchase a 40-seater bus and meet expenditures to host and play more competitive friendly matches. Procurement of power endurance training equipments, capacity building for TFF staff and web site development, maintenance, seminars and meetings for TFF officials will also be met through the package.

Kavishe said TBL believes that the sponsorship will transform football in the country.

TFF president Tenga said the secretariat savours to have signed the sponsorship deal with TBL. Tenga said the new sponsorship deal is three times bigger than what they used to get from the previous sponsor.

He said the new sponsorship will help TFF to care for players, technical staff and team doctors and also buy modern training equipments.

Tenga also cautioned all football stakeholders in the country to treat the sponsorship with care as it has come due to commitment and hard working by TFF officials and football fraternity in general.

“The new sponsorship is a milestone in the development of football in the country, it will change the national team and football standard, may I ask all football stakeholders to treat this sponsorship with great care so that TBL is not disappointed”, he said.

The brewers’ boss Goetzsche said his company is prepared to take football in the country to the grater heights as the sponsorship will enable the national team play more trial matches.

Goetzsche also said the sponsorship will enable Stars stay at hotels which have Gymnasium and swimming pools.

He also asked the media to offer constructive criticism to TBL and TFF saying media can make the sponsorship more beneficial to football in the country.

Thadeo thanked TBL for the sponsorship which he said will improve football in the country.

He said the new sponsorship will enable the national team play more friendly matches which will give the team a chance to improve on the international football federation (FIFA) ranking.

TBL has taken over from the Serengeti Breweries that used to sponsor the team for the past five back-to-back years.

However, Tanzania is crumbling deep in the FIFA rankings, 145th, despite the presence of Danish coach Jan Poulsen who joined Stars as head coach two years ago