The Highlanders Football Club has taken a positive step in setting up a new website that many have been calling for after the previous one was neglected and not functional. The latest pages are very impressive to the eye and just having that up and running is commendable.
The website is well thought out and well-designed. There is a lot of club colour representation, typically. The black and white stripes dominate the front page and there is no question as to message being portrayed. Besides the excellent slide show of the club pictures, recent and historic, there is a rich photo gallery to enjoy.
The welcome page has a poll that is easy to utilise as one can vote on the matter in question with one single click. The page shows a summary of all top stories as well as the league standings and top goalscorers chart. One can easily leave a comment by introducing themselves and using their e-mail and post without much fuss.
Of course, it can be better in many ways, like the voting poll settings. The poll takes you away from the Highlanders page instead of popping up another tab. There is a little bit too much colour due to the bold and wide borders of black and white on the sides. These eat away too much space for main material. Dealing with that will de-clatter the site and lesson the burden on the eyes.
It still remains to be seen how much up to date the site will be and how much time feedback and response will take from the administrators. While it is not expected to be manned 24/7 due to financial limitations, a turn-around of 24 to 48 hours will be fair.
There is few things also that one can notice; the few advertisements and lack of sponsors. The one bars slides with three of the ads and as you browse below, there is another bar that slides with 'Our Partners'. The list has a few names that I have no doubt deserve to be there under that banner, but I am not sure of their contribution to the well being of the team.
BancABC are a sure strong partner while I would say the Castle Lager partnership is a loose one given that the breweries sponsor the league. I guess the same can be said with Mbada Diamonds. Adidas could qualify by default since their alliance is mainly with BancABC. I am not sure of any further cash-injection any of the listed 'partners' have made or will make.
In that questionable list is the conspicuous presence of Liverpool and Supersport among others. It could be that they are doing something somewhere that has not been brought to our attention and in that case, it would be a great pleasure to give them visibility on the site which is expected to have a fair share of traffic once the league kicks off and the team performs.
At the time of writing I was the 29605th visitor and many thousands are expected to flock in there for the updates on a daily basis. That is one great feature to have on the website, the views counter as potential web sponsors will want as much traffic to advertise on the site.
I recommend as many photos as possible on the gallery, from 1926 to 2014 if possible and one hopes traffic to the site will swell and fan contribution will be very much visible. Well done Highlanders. God Bless Bosso!
(Visit the website at http://www.highlandersfc.org.zw/)
Showing posts with label BancABC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BancABC. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Highlanders fans can assist raise club funds easily
After the hype, funfare and aplomb of the BancABC-cum-ESport-cum-Adidas Highlanders/Dynamos replica jersey deal, the reality of delivery over speeches is hitting the Bosso fans who await the first sight of the promised good. It is claimed Dynamos started selling their wares last week. The clubs went into a deal that would see the fans fork out $50.00 for the benefit of $3.50 for their clubs.
Many hoped to snap the jerseys upon delivery but the spirits have been dampened by the unspecified delays. Questions have been raised as to how the Hararians got their stock but as usual; there will be no speculation from our quarters.
It interested many people how we suggested fans can don the shirts for less. The idea was to raffle a jersey for a $1.00 with 100 tickets. That way, the club would net $53.50 per item going to the club. The little knowledge gained from the experience of being Technical Advisor of the biggest club in Zimbabwe showed me how difficult it may be to do business with the club. The Highlanders FC Executive Committee members are busy people having to run their lives, families, jobs and the club.
The least that can happen is that they accept donations of cash collected or given by well-wishers. Even that is a process. The issue is that nobody is in a position to take unilateral decisions. The complication extends further if there are sponsors involved. The approval of the board is not a mean feat either.
Given that, at this point, all should be aware the club is said to be entering 'good times' with things on the horizon. Many people are working tirelessly behind the scenes. It is the scenes that we want to dwell on. Efforts to form a Highlanders Football Club Supporters Association were fruitful and theirs was driven by the Facebook Group of the same name.
For the benefit of the club and the followers, it this Group that must just try to take the bull by the horns, make money and donate to the club, say FORCE it into the club. The group can get the replicas and raffle them as part of their own mandate outside club structures. A turn-off for many has been how there has always been an issue with making money for Bosso.
Discussions that there was people who sold the club colours and merchandise without anything being donated or offered to the club - like these selling flags, T-shirts, badges, hats on the streets and stadia. The self-propelled entrepreneurs are visionary and energetic but they operate outside the mandate of the club for their enrichment. The club seems content with that. There is a claim of a Bosso car wash which may or may not be linked with the club.
If a constituted body like the supporters association took it upon themselves to regularise and officalise the operation, they would hit a brick wall. Acting on their own, they will be brandished dissidents working without the blessing of the club, yet they work to benefit the club. That is however the only way out.
Bongani Mafu. a prominent and highly qualified coach who I worked with in educating coaches years back was full of wonder. "I keep failing to understand something here. I thought if a group wanted to raise money and buy say footballs for the club, they just go ahead and raise the funds, buy the targeted equipment then approach the executive with a concrete object. Why would there be need for a 'blessing' to raise funds?"
This point surely came at a point when a group of individuals had to ask for the 'blessings of the club' to assist the Clubhouse, and the project stalled as a result. Many may not wish to recall a car that was donated to the club for use by the coach and the donation was unwelcome somehow.
He goes on to say "People have donated money and equipment to Bosso before. I am positive none started by getting permission to do so. People must get organised, donate the monies somehow as a group and buy the equipment!". His suggestion even went further to a point of approaching the company selling what is to be bought so donations would go straight to the club rather than coming from individuals.
People wanting to suggest or give advice to the Executive waste a lot of time. That committee has a constituted mandate to fulfill and their tasks are measured in terms of time rather than delivery. They enter history books whatever the outcome of their tenure, unfortunately.
Robert Ndlovu was however of the opinion that the club is not a ‘charity case’ and therefore should not depend on donations. While true, this fact has been sysnonymous with the club as hand and glove. “The club has capacity to self-sustain if they use their brand properly. Don’t give a man fish. Teach him how to fish. When people live on donations they become lazy. Just a fact”.
There would be support for this. “It is the management that should come with a massive turn-around strategy to ease the financial woes of the club even if it means selling the club assets.” In fact, I share the opinions but just. If possible, someone could have done this decades ago.
The truth is, with or without fishing tools and skill, Bosso cannot or will not not fish. That one hard fact that is incomprehensible. It is the same with many executives since Ndumiso Gumede's days when the club managed to buy the properties it has to date – the office, the clubhouse and the house in Luveve. Bosso cannot come up with a plan. That sounds harsh too. Given a plan, they cannot implement it at all somehow. You may ask what they can do then. I can confirm that they can spend the money, which is the reason why they will do with donations.
The clubhouse utilisation is said to have a long term solution with solid plans in the pipeline, to the club and we await further details. With or without the board and club executive committee blessings, it would be prudent for the owners of the club, the fans, to use the club's name to raise funds for the club. There is no fraud there. Fraud would be running the club dry, especially a brand like Bosso.
One hopes the jerseys will arrive, the supporters will do what they want and pump the money into the club coffers. BancABC should also pull up their socks and supply alternative kits for the team to avoid embarrassing situations like the one that saw the team 'borrow' a kit. It could be just incompetence on the part of the management in which case, it is not acceptable.
Many hoped to snap the jerseys upon delivery but the spirits have been dampened by the unspecified delays. Questions have been raised as to how the Hararians got their stock but as usual; there will be no speculation from our quarters.
It interested many people how we suggested fans can don the shirts for less. The idea was to raffle a jersey for a $1.00 with 100 tickets. That way, the club would net $53.50 per item going to the club. The little knowledge gained from the experience of being Technical Advisor of the biggest club in Zimbabwe showed me how difficult it may be to do business with the club. The Highlanders FC Executive Committee members are busy people having to run their lives, families, jobs and the club.
The least that can happen is that they accept donations of cash collected or given by well-wishers. Even that is a process. The issue is that nobody is in a position to take unilateral decisions. The complication extends further if there are sponsors involved. The approval of the board is not a mean feat either.
Given that, at this point, all should be aware the club is said to be entering 'good times' with things on the horizon. Many people are working tirelessly behind the scenes. It is the scenes that we want to dwell on. Efforts to form a Highlanders Football Club Supporters Association were fruitful and theirs was driven by the Facebook Group of the same name.
For the benefit of the club and the followers, it this Group that must just try to take the bull by the horns, make money and donate to the club, say FORCE it into the club. The group can get the replicas and raffle them as part of their own mandate outside club structures. A turn-off for many has been how there has always been an issue with making money for Bosso.
Discussions that there was people who sold the club colours and merchandise without anything being donated or offered to the club - like these selling flags, T-shirts, badges, hats on the streets and stadia. The self-propelled entrepreneurs are visionary and energetic but they operate outside the mandate of the club for their enrichment. The club seems content with that. There is a claim of a Bosso car wash which may or may not be linked with the club.
If a constituted body like the supporters association took it upon themselves to regularise and officalise the operation, they would hit a brick wall. Acting on their own, they will be brandished dissidents working without the blessing of the club, yet they work to benefit the club. That is however the only way out.
Bongani Mafu. a prominent and highly qualified coach who I worked with in educating coaches years back was full of wonder. "I keep failing to understand something here. I thought if a group wanted to raise money and buy say footballs for the club, they just go ahead and raise the funds, buy the targeted equipment then approach the executive with a concrete object. Why would there be need for a 'blessing' to raise funds?"
This point surely came at a point when a group of individuals had to ask for the 'blessings of the club' to assist the Clubhouse, and the project stalled as a result. Many may not wish to recall a car that was donated to the club for use by the coach and the donation was unwelcome somehow.
He goes on to say "People have donated money and equipment to Bosso before. I am positive none started by getting permission to do so. People must get organised, donate the monies somehow as a group and buy the equipment!". His suggestion even went further to a point of approaching the company selling what is to be bought so donations would go straight to the club rather than coming from individuals.
People wanting to suggest or give advice to the Executive waste a lot of time. That committee has a constituted mandate to fulfill and their tasks are measured in terms of time rather than delivery. They enter history books whatever the outcome of their tenure, unfortunately.
Robert Ndlovu was however of the opinion that the club is not a ‘charity case’ and therefore should not depend on donations. While true, this fact has been sysnonymous with the club as hand and glove. “The club has capacity to self-sustain if they use their brand properly. Don’t give a man fish. Teach him how to fish. When people live on donations they become lazy. Just a fact”.
There would be support for this. “It is the management that should come with a massive turn-around strategy to ease the financial woes of the club even if it means selling the club assets.” In fact, I share the opinions but just. If possible, someone could have done this decades ago.
The truth is, with or without fishing tools and skill, Bosso cannot or will not not fish. That one hard fact that is incomprehensible. It is the same with many executives since Ndumiso Gumede's days when the club managed to buy the properties it has to date – the office, the clubhouse and the house in Luveve. Bosso cannot come up with a plan. That sounds harsh too. Given a plan, they cannot implement it at all somehow. You may ask what they can do then. I can confirm that they can spend the money, which is the reason why they will do with donations.
The clubhouse utilisation is said to have a long term solution with solid plans in the pipeline, to the club and we await further details. With or without the board and club executive committee blessings, it would be prudent for the owners of the club, the fans, to use the club's name to raise funds for the club. There is no fraud there. Fraud would be running the club dry, especially a brand like Bosso.
One hopes the jerseys will arrive, the supporters will do what they want and pump the money into the club coffers. BancABC should also pull up their socks and supply alternative kits for the team to avoid embarrassing situations like the one that saw the team 'borrow' a kit. It could be just incompetence on the part of the management in which case, it is not acceptable.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Bosso can afford to dress fans the replica jersey for a $1
Putting this to bed, the deal of replica jerseys by Adidas for Highlanders and Dynamos will spurn three years and thousands of fans are expected to get the regalia of their favourite team in this period of time. Comparison with the acquisition of the shirts between Bosso and Dynamos will always be pop-up as these teams always compete on all fronts.
While there is not much details of how much the whole deal is worth for Highlanders Football Club, there is a question of whether it is a deal between BancABC and Adidas or between Adidas and clubs. Whatever the case, many believe that the issue is immaterial. It is thought that courting Adidas into this deal is a coup on its own. For us who do not believe in a half a loaf, we may sound sceptical but in all truth, it is worthwhile.
So far, the role of a mediator company's role is extremely being down-played. The present picture painted has it that Adidas provides, through sponsors BancABC, the playing kit, the training kit, the warm-up tracksuits, sneakers as well as balls - which could be both match and training balls.
The initial 2500 shirts are said to be available for each team to sell and pocket $8750.00. Many viewed the figure of $3.50 per shirt as little. After all, comparing to genuine Bafana Bafana, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates shirts, the $50.00 is not a bad deal. It may be worth finding out how much Pirates gets from Adidas, but then, Bosso and Pirates are oceans apart. However, a Pirates fan has a more conducive economic environment to juggle his income and expenditure figures.
As always in this forum, we are never short of ideas for the struggling Zimbabwean fan. More precisely, we always have solution for the Bosso family. While it is appreciated these do not get to the office, it is worth trying to send a note there. One day these things may be taken seriously and the club may sing a different tune.
The first thing, the Zimbabwean mentality is way different compared to the world. This is due to the education system. Zimbabweans think at extremes in terms of what is good money and what it takes to earn the money. Making a $1 in a while can only be done by begging. The sums of many $1 is never beyond the $1. Figures never lie.
For starters, Bosso can devise a system that is less labour intensive but less exciting in making their fans wear these replica jersey for a $1 or two. The match tickets are about $3 each. Many people struggle if they have to watch the match for $5, especially if they will get the same stuff whether they pay $3 or $5. What the club may do, is to sell the raffle tickets parallel to the match fee, say $1. That could mean one or every home match, 2500 fans would win themselves replica jerseys at a cost of $1. I wouldn't mind.
Few jerseys could be raffled each match day to maintain the excitement. The problem here could be the number of tickets not making much cash compared to the cost of jerseys, but it depends on mechanisms built around the process.
A better but labour intensive way would be to let 2 or 3 people take the jersey to every portion of the stadium sitting a 100 fans, sell 100 tickets for say $1 at half-time, make an instant draw and give away the jersey. That would be $100 for a jersey on the spot. The winner dons a genuine $50 Bosso jersey for a $1. Others may even cry for an 'enchoe!'
This process means there would have to be many Bosso people around the stadium doing this in a short space of time - 15 minute half-time. This can be a tradition that the team may cultivate and give away many other products. Either way, fans will don jerseys for less and losing $1 in trying to get a $50 replica jersey is not much of a loss. Many would actually donate much more, some even their lunch for the love and worthy cause of iBosso.
While there is not much details of how much the whole deal is worth for Highlanders Football Club, there is a question of whether it is a deal between BancABC and Adidas or between Adidas and clubs. Whatever the case, many believe that the issue is immaterial. It is thought that courting Adidas into this deal is a coup on its own. For us who do not believe in a half a loaf, we may sound sceptical but in all truth, it is worthwhile.
So far, the role of a mediator company's role is extremely being down-played. The present picture painted has it that Adidas provides, through sponsors BancABC, the playing kit, the training kit, the warm-up tracksuits, sneakers as well as balls - which could be both match and training balls.
The initial 2500 shirts are said to be available for each team to sell and pocket $8750.00. Many viewed the figure of $3.50 per shirt as little. After all, comparing to genuine Bafana Bafana, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates shirts, the $50.00 is not a bad deal. It may be worth finding out how much Pirates gets from Adidas, but then, Bosso and Pirates are oceans apart. However, a Pirates fan has a more conducive economic environment to juggle his income and expenditure figures.
As always in this forum, we are never short of ideas for the struggling Zimbabwean fan. More precisely, we always have solution for the Bosso family. While it is appreciated these do not get to the office, it is worth trying to send a note there. One day these things may be taken seriously and the club may sing a different tune.
The first thing, the Zimbabwean mentality is way different compared to the world. This is due to the education system. Zimbabweans think at extremes in terms of what is good money and what it takes to earn the money. Making a $1 in a while can only be done by begging. The sums of many $1 is never beyond the $1. Figures never lie.
For starters, Bosso can devise a system that is less labour intensive but less exciting in making their fans wear these replica jersey for a $1 or two. The match tickets are about $3 each. Many people struggle if they have to watch the match for $5, especially if they will get the same stuff whether they pay $3 or $5. What the club may do, is to sell the raffle tickets parallel to the match fee, say $1. That could mean one or every home match, 2500 fans would win themselves replica jerseys at a cost of $1. I wouldn't mind.
Few jerseys could be raffled each match day to maintain the excitement. The problem here could be the number of tickets not making much cash compared to the cost of jerseys, but it depends on mechanisms built around the process.
A better but labour intensive way would be to let 2 or 3 people take the jersey to every portion of the stadium sitting a 100 fans, sell 100 tickets for say $1 at half-time, make an instant draw and give away the jersey. That would be $100 for a jersey on the spot. The winner dons a genuine $50 Bosso jersey for a $1. Others may even cry for an 'enchoe!'
This process means there would have to be many Bosso people around the stadium doing this in a short space of time - 15 minute half-time. This can be a tradition that the team may cultivate and give away many other products. Either way, fans will don jerseys for less and losing $1 in trying to get a $50 replica jersey is not much of a loss. Many would actually donate much more, some even their lunch for the love and worthy cause of iBosso.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Is it high time former players ran football? Me thinks.
(By Alois Bunjira)
When
I was playing at BIDVEST WITS we had this scenario.......: BIDVEST
Wits, a club sponsored by a BANK called BIDVEST plays against Kaizer
Chiefs, a club sponsored by a BANK called Standard Bank in a
tournament called NEDBANK CUP, sponsored a BANK called
NEDBANK.
These two clubs are playing at a stadium called
FNB stadium, which is owned by a BANK called First National
Bank. Both clubs play in a league called ABSA Premiership which is
sponsored by a BANK called ABSA Bank. Chiefs by virtue of being
the home team, provides prematch and post match entertainment for
their fans in the form of a music group and drum majorettes.
They also
bring in cheer leaders. All this is financed by the money they get from
one of their sponsors Standard BANK, who also chip in with money for
bonuses when chiefs win. If BIDVEST Wits wins, the Bank called
BIDVEST pays for their Bonuses. NEDBANK BANK has never been heard
crying foul for that. They mind their business of hyping up their Cup game and finding ways of getting maximum mileage through that
game.
They have the privilege of being the sponsor of the tournament
and for all the prematch and post match interviews. It is their
backdrop banner that is displayed. Can you all guys see how
FIVE, FIVE, FIVE banks (Nedbank, ABSA, FNB, STANDARD Bank and BIDVEST Bank) are
involved in this ONE game peacefully?
No wonder there is so much
money in the South African
league. When in Zimbabwe are
we going to reach this level of top class football sponsorship and
marketing where FIVE BANKS pelamborate in the same space for the
benefit of the game and its players. WHEN?
(This story follows an eyebrow raising issue where beer brewers, Delta of Zimbabwe threatened bank sponsored teams, Highlanders and Dynamos who are sponsored by BankABC. The sponsors intended to lace the potential championship decider with goodies for the players and fans. Among others, the BancABC wanted to offer $15000 to the winners, $5000 for the team scoring the first goal in the first 5 minutes as well as offering $1500 to the man of the match.
There were potentially other good intentions coming the teams and fans' way but the Castle Lager Premier League warned of the potential loss of prize money if the teams followed the heart of their sponsors. Reading from the above script, one can see there is no conflict of interest between Delta and BancABC.
Since a former football picked this one up, it could be justification enough for former players to take football leadership and make decision that merit the game and the money spent on it. We salute the post of Mr Alois 'Criss-cross' Bunjira.
Alois Bunjira is a former Zimbabwe Warriors international football players with extensive experience. He plied his trade in Zimbabwe for Caps United in a very colourful career that took him to South Africa where he played for Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits among others.)
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Highlanders and Dynamos strongly warned against BancABC
The Premier Soccer League issued a stern warning to Highlanders Football Club of Bulawayo and bitter rivals of Harare, Dynamos Football Club over receiving money or incentives dangled by the club official sponsors, BancABC who promised a winner take-all of $15000, $5000 for the first goal in 5 minutes and a man-of -the-match $1500. CEO, Kenny Ndebele advised the two clubs of the conflict of interest with league sponsors in a detailed statement below.
We
appreciate that Club Sponsors are the lifeblood of our Clubs. It is
important that Sponsorship rights are allocated and shared for the
benefits of all Stakeholders. Football Clubs must respect contracts
entered into by the League Sponsors.
Our
Sponsorship Agreement with Delta Beverages expressly states that
Article 11: Competition 11.2 Premier Soccer League shall ensure that
the only major league football competition running in Zimbabwe during
the football season shall at all times be the Competition and it
shall not introduce any competitions or football matches which might
reasonably be considered to undermine the status of the Competition
without prior written consent of Delta Beverages with the exception
of approved knock out tournaments…
11.5
Premier Soccer League shall endeavour to ensure that matches in the
Competition: 11.5.2 are recognised as Premier Soccer League matches
and shall use its best endeavours to ensure that wherever possible,
it does not schedule matches of a knock out or of similar nature at
the same time as the Competition matches.
It
is important to note that the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League
match between Dynamos Football Club and Highlanders Football Club
shall proceed under the following conditions:
#
The two teams shall play for points – three points for the winners,
one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss.
#
The Castle Lager Logo shall appear on all the sleeves of players
shirts.
#
Club Sponsors’ logo may appear on the players and officials
tracksuits, warm-up shirts and bibs.
#
No prize money shall be paid to clubs, players and officials, before,
during or after the match.
#
No club sponsors’ T-shirts, flags, scarves, bibs or other
paraphernalia is to be distributed inside and outside the stadium,
before, during and after the match.
If
the clubs fail to comply with the instruction, the League will have
no alternative but to cancel the match. Further, the League will
withhold the full Castle Lager Premier Soccer League prize money of
the defaulting Club(s). Such prize money shall be forfeited to the
League.
The
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League would like to advise all its
members to ensure that they fully comply with the League’s
Sponsorship Agreements, the PSL Constitution, Rules and Regulations
and other relevant statutes in order to avoid conflicts.
We
trust that the Clubs will guide and advise their commercial partners
accordingly. We categorically state that the Castle Lager Premier
Soccer League enjoys good and cordial relations with all its
stakeholders hence our mission to develop elite football and promote
the PSL brand for the benefits of its members and stakeholders
through competitions, programmes and activities.”
Whichever way, the two teams have better fish to fry. There is 3 points separating the potential champions, Bosso needing the victory to stay in contention while Dembare will be looking to securing the deal. Stakes aside, it still remains the biggest fixture north of Limpopo and both are on a mission to dislodge the other's claim as the domestic power-houses of Zimbabwean football.
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