Mascom irked by e-ticketing system, it compromises branding – source
BONGANI MALUNGA
Botswana’s sole knockout cup sponsors, Mascom Wireless, are reportedly showing no clear signs of discussing a contract renewal with the Botswana Premier League and Botswana Football Association. The mobile giants’ contract with the country’s top football bodies is due to elapse next month and there is a growing concern after it emerged that all parties are yet to hold initial talks about a renewal.
Better yet, a source claims that the sponsor is yet to make an official expression of interest and made additional claims that the sponsor has not been happy with this year’s competition. According to the insider, Mascom believe they have held up their end of the bargain by continuing their quality branding and honouring their contractual terms. The five year relationship appears to have hit a rough patch if information forwarded by our source is anything to go by.
“They were irked by the e-ticketing system because it affected the attendance in some games. The system made it difficult for the average football lover to get tickets. They have been unhappy at times this season, they were disappointed by the attendance and management of some games. Their main concern last year was still the e-ticketing issue, they felt that the tickets were mostly printed in black and white and that compromised the Mascom brand because it was not clearly visible,” the source claimed in an interview with Gazette Sport.
The source further alleges that Mascom filed an official complaint to the BPL and the BFA last year during the quarter-final stage. The sponsor, Mascom, preferred to see the BPL reverting to the old ticketing system and the latter duly obliged by returning to the previous tried and tested system.
However, there are unconfirmed rumours that the Mascom Top 8 final could see a return of the e-ticketing system and that has further angered the sponsor as their pleas appear to have been ignored again.
Efforts to get an official response from Mascom were unsuccessful as they had not responded to Gazette Sport questions at the time of press.