Stadium advertising debacle

Parameter advertising at the National Stadium has of late caused a stir with national football team’s sponsors Orange seemingly left in the lurch in favour of Mascom - their competitor in the mobile phone business. 

Yet it turns out to be not out of any fault of Mascom whose adverts at the stadium recently enjoyed more visibility and television mileage at the Zebras game against Tunisia in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. With Orange being the main sponsors of the Zebras, and even sponsors of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), expectation had been to see more of Orange advertising at the stadium, but it was adverts from their rival that had the limelight. The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has since raised concern over the matter as well, with fears of a possible backlash from the Zebras sponsors who could feel undermined.

BG Sports has since established that the stadium owners are the ones who entered into a stadium advertising agreement with other companies to advertise at their facility so as to source funding for its maintenance. Botswana National Sports Council, the stadium owners, have confirmed having resident advertisers who have bought space on some stands. Besides Mascom, there are other companies including Dulux and BancABC. These advertisers are a source of monthly income to the council and in the process get exposure that is further enhanced by television broadcasting of events which are beamed to multitudes across the continent.

The adverts have remained a permanent feature even seen at premier league games and other events hosted at the stadium. Information reaching BG Sports is that at the Tunisia-Zebras game recently, tempers flared when some concerned stakeholders questioned the advertising at what was to benefit the Zebras sponsors.  The entire eastern stand commonly known as Panda was draped in Mascom adverts, reportedly leaving sour taste in the mouths of the BFA and the Zebras sponsors. BFA president Tebogo Sebego immediately sought clarification on the matter from the BNSC’s acting CEO Thato Kgosimore, with the main argument being that it was ambush marketing on the side of Mascom. The general feeling was that the exposure of the Zebras’ sponsors had been compromised.

This was happening a few days after security personnel at a Mascom Top 8 match between Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Nico United had refused Zebras’ players entry to the VIP area because they were in Orange branded uniform. Reports say the clash of sponsors’ advertising has since forced the BFA to confront the BNSC in writing to put forward their discontent about this resident advertising. The BFA allegedly sought clarification and a way forward on the matter, further seeking to know how their sponsors can be accommodated without being compromised when they use the National Stadium.  Sources close to the matter also alluded to Sebego’s position being compromised as he is a part of FIFA’s marketing committee who could also demand answers through CAF on the matter.

There are also fears that CAF could penalize the local association although Sebego was quick to dismiss that as a possibility. Speaking on the matter, BNSC’s acting CEO Kgosimore said, “We have running contracts with our resident advertisers and there is nothing we can do about it now.” On the concerns by the BFA regarding their team and event sponsors, Kgosimore quipped, “They cannot make a deal involving the facility without our consent. This is what we have told them.”

On the other hand, Sebego said he was disappointed with recent developments. “We feel that the exposure of our sponsors, Orange in this case, was compromised. But CAF cannot take any action against us because this issue is more internal and is between us and Orange Botswana,” he told BG Sports. At the time of going to press, both Mascom and Orange spokespersons Tebogo LebotseSebego  and Boga Chilinde respectively, declined to comment on the matter. “We are not in a position to give a stand on this matter. BFA is the one responsible for all branding allocations of the national team games. We kindly request that you contact the BFA,” Chilinde of Orange told BG Sports. On the other hand LebotseSebego only said, “At Mascom we would rather reserve our comment on that matter.”