Bullets invest K50m into international bonanza
Nyasa Big Bullets FC has invested at least K50 million into planning and organising the inaugural four-team international club bonanza scheduled for March 1, 2 and 4 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Among other things, Bullets senior business development manager Kelvin Moyo yesterday said the People’s Team are expected to use the money to provide accommodation, food and local transport for visiting Zimbabwean outfit Chicken Inn FC and Mozambican side Ferrovirario De Nampula during the period of the bonanza, which will also include Bullets’ rivals Be Forward Wanderers.
Regardless, the TNM Super League champions have reduced broadcast fees for the competition per day from K1 million to K500 000 for television and from K500 000 to K300 000 for radio stations.
Moyo said their main target is not to make profits from the inaugural bonanza, but use it as a marketing strategy to attract the corporate world into partnering the event in the future.
“Our main focus is to publicisise the event for the corporate world to appreciate the marketing power of football. We want the inaugural event to leave a mark on domestic and international scenes. Once this bonanza makes a name for itself, it will entice more investors to come in during the next editions and use it as a vehicle for advertising products,” he said.
“We have planned it to be an annual event for the next five years.”
Football analyst and marketer George Kaudza Masina said Bullets’ initiative is a bold step that will open business opportunities for both the clubs and the corporate world.
“This is a great initiative and it shows Bullets are really serious with their commercialisation drive. I can challenge you that with the reduced broadcast fees, Bullets can even triple the amount they have spent in terms of profits. This is the way to cast a net wider in maximising revenue rather than just relying on gate collections. You invest to reap, but you cannot reap without investing,” he said.
Kaudza Masina pleaded with the government and Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to appreciate the efforts Bullets are making to market the game by, at least, taking a reduced cut than normal from the bonanza’s gate takings.
FAM commercial and marketing director Limbani Matola said they have embraced Bullets’ initiative as an inspiration and have already embarked on rendering support to the event.
“It is quite inspiring that Bullets can think of having an international bonanza. This cements commercialisation drive the club has taken and accords the club to build its corporate brand and measure its status. We fully support the initiative because, so far, apart from authorising the bonanza, FAM has facilitated invitations of the foreign teams and offered to provide their accommodation at Mpira Village in Chiwembe, Blantyre,” he said. n
