Clubs outline expectations ahead of sulom AGM
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) will hold its annual general meeting (AGM) in Lilongwe this Saturday where, apart from the set agenda, clubs want to hear how Sulom will disburse funds from television rights deal with Beta Television.
The usual issues on the agenda include reports from the treasurer, general secretary, president and auditors. However, Sulom requested clubs to submit proposals and questions to be addressed at the assembly by June 20.
All the clubs interviewed were interested in the details of the K266 million television rights deal with Beta TV.
Blue Eagles manager Gabriel Chirwa said the assembly should decide how the funds will be disbursed.
“Apart from the other items on the agenda like the reports, this is perhaps the most important issue which we are looking forward to. We have to know what we will benefit from the television rights deal,” said Chirwa.
He also said the Malawi Police Service (MPS) side would push for an increase in the annual subvention clubs get from TNM.
“The K1 million we get from TNM is too little considering the devaluation of the kwacha in recent years. Of course we do appreciate that we uniforms and other equipment from TNM. But we would like the subvention to be adjusted upwards to at least K2.5 million,” said Chirwa.
Azam Tigers chairperson Sydney Chikoti also stressed the need for Sulom to explain to clubs the details of the television rights deal.
“Our interest will be on how proceeds from the television broadcast rights will be distributed of course,” he said. “Clubs are major players in the deal and priority should go to them at all cost.”
On the need to increase subvention to clubs, Chikoti said there was need to increase the whole sponsorship package.
“We have to be realistic. Sulom is bound by a contract which it signed with TNM. We need to lobby on the need to negotiate the sponsorship package. That way the annual subvention can also be increased,” he said.
Chikoti called for the clubs to take advantage of the AGM to raise pertinent issues soberly.
He said: “We need to have a general review of our league. Where are we successful and where are we failing? I am interested in players’ welfare and issues like medical welfare and insurance. Why are we failing to implement them fully?
“We have also increased the number of teams in the league. What value has it added to the league or has it just increased the expenses on clubs?”
According to Sulom documents, clubs are also concerned with the sharing of gate collections and want Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to negotiate with government for a review of the process.
The clubs also want the assembly to ask FAM to share cup games proceeds from television rights which are under the jurisdiction of the mother body.
Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said the secretariat had condolidated all the proposal sand questions raised by club sand which will be tackled at the AGM.
