Moti Group Tipped to Revive Top 8
The Botswana Football League (BFL) is on the verge of unveiling a major sponsorship package for its flagship Top 8 tournament, with a Moti Group linked company set to become the main sponsor in a deal worth a staggering P4 million.
The announcement is expected later this week as negotiations enter their final stages, with former league sponsors, local telecommunications giant also forming part of the sponsorship package. In a brief interview this week, BFL Acting Chief Executive Officer Lydia Monisi confirmed that discussions with prospective partners were nearing completion but stopped short of revealing the identity of the sponsor.
“We are closing on partnerships and will officially communicate,” Monisi told BG Sport. “Please wait for the official release, we are still negotiating.” However, sources close to the negotiations have revealed that a company linked to Moti Group, led by flamboyant entrepreneur, Zunaid Moti, will be the headline sponsor of the competition, with a local telcom giant familiar with local football coming on board as part of the agreement.
The deal is expected to significantly revive a tournament that has previously been regarded as one of the richest and most prestigious competitions in Botswana football. According to information from sources involved in the negotiations, the P4 million sponsorship package will see the winning team pocket P1.5 million in prize money, restoring the Top 8’s reputation as one of the most financially rewarding competitions in the country.
The reported imminent arrival of the Moti Group in local football represents a new chapter for the high stakes, high reward tournament. The alleged sponsor is being described as Pan-African infrastructure entity focused on accelerating access to education, healthcare and skills development through the delivery of essential social infrastructure across the continent. Its model according to sources involves designing, building, equipping and maintaining facilities such as schools, healthcare centres and technical institutions. Meanwhile, the telcom giant coming in as the second sponsor brings extensive experience in supporting Botswana football.
The telecommunications company has been one of the country’s biggest contributors to the sport over the years, previously serving as title sponsor of the country’s top-flight league through the Botswana Premiership dating back to as far as 2008. The telcom company’s football footprint has included supporting the elite league, clubs and football development initiatives, making its return to a major domestic football property a significant boost for the sport. The Top 8 tournament was introduced in 2012 and quickly became one of Botswana’s biggest football attractions, featuring the top eight clubs from the previous Botswana Premier League season.
The competition became renowned for producing high-quality matches, attracting large crowds and providing clubs with important financial rewards. For almost a decade, telecommunications giant Mascom Wireless carried the tournament as title sponsor, helping transform it into one of the country’s most lucrative sporting events. The competition’s champions initially received P1 million before the prize purse increased over the years to P1.2 million, P1.3 million and eventually P1.4 million.
The ninth edition of the tournament carried a total prize commitment of P1.4 million. Football stakeholders are hopeful that the renewed investment will not only increase the competitiveness of the tournament but also improve the overall match-day experience, attract more supporters and strengthen the commercial appeal of Botswana football.