Flames replica jerseys fail to sell

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has said it is hoping to sell half of the Puma replica jerseys by July this year so that it can order another consignment.

Currently, FAM has only sold 2 000 jerseys from the initial 10 000 consignment.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu said the association is due to order the next consignment in July.

“If we can clear half the consignment by June [when we face Chad and Nigeria], then we should have enough capital to order the second consignment,” said Nyamilandu.

He also said according to the contract, FAM is supposed to order a minimum of one consignment per year.

Asked what will happen should FAM fail to meet the target, Nyamilandu said: “Then we will be in breach of the contract and there are repercussions.

“We are hopeful that the game against Nigeria [in June] will help us clear most of the consignment because it is a high-profile fixture. The game against Chad is also a seller looking at the interest the last two games [against Chad] generated.”

He dismissed claims by some fans that the replicas, selling at K9 000 ($54) each, are costly, saying it is reasonable considering the quality.

During the launch held in September last year, Nyamilandu said as one way of maximising sales, they planned to order two or three consignments a year depending on how the local market would respond.

Nyamilandu also said FAM has an opportunity to periodically introduce a new design as a way of freshening up the brand and exciting the market.

Meanwhile, FAM’s marketing department has said it is hoping to sell the remaining 8 000 jerseys by June, following a new marketing approach that targets companies and organisations.

FAM marketing manager Casper Jangale said they have engaged companies directly through special offers for their employees.

“Instead of paying the retail price of K9 000 [$54], employees can pay for the jersey in instalments of up to three months. This offer will enable employees to buy their favourite Flames jersey. A lot of companies are responding well.

“It is this response that gives us confidence that by June, we might finish the stock,” said Jangale.

“We had to revise our strategy on how best we could market the shirts. We visited a number of companies; hence, the new approach,” said Jangale.

FAM, which relies heavily on government for national team funding, has been banking on the sales of replica jerseys to boost its income, but hitches in sales have threatened to derail the association’s drive towards financial independence.

Annual subvention from Fifa and gate collections from games are the two other avenues for FAM’s revenue.

FAM had hoped to make an K18 million (about $108 000) profit from the sale of the replica jerseys.