- BSA to put wall around the facility
- People should pay to watch softball games
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
Botswana Softball Association (BSA) President Thabo Thamane has revealed that there will be no free softball games in 2019, as the association intends to generate some of their income from gate takings.
Thamane, who was elected as the BSA President earlier this year, revealed their intentions to build a wall around the facility, which will see supporters having to a pay a certain fee to watch softball games.
“We intend to bring some developments to the national diamond. One of the things we plan on doing is building a wall around the the stadium in order to generate some income from gate takings,” the BSA President said in an interview with Gazette Sport yesterday (Monday).
“The only thing that is currently holding us back is that the Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) is still undergoing a restructuring process, so all our plans have been put on hold until the process is completed.”
He added that though the grant from BNSC was not enough to undertake such a project, some members of the private sector have promised to lend a helping hand, including league sponsors Bofinet.
“We only receive a grant of about P800 000 from BNSC, and its never enough, but we have had people that we have been talking to for assistance. Also under the Bofient sponsorship, there is a subvention that caters for infrastructural development, so we intend to use some of this money for that. Softball needs to create their own streams of revenue, and gate takings is one that we need to explore.
Regarding sponsors, we have not been able to secure any new sponsors yet, but this was because when we came into office our financial books were not in order, we had to audit them and submit them to the affiliates to endorse of which they did. We have been working on a new strategy that we will be launching, and we are going to invite members of the media for that launch. What i can tell you is that there has been work behind the scenes.”
Thamane also revealed that consultations are underway to review the current league structures. He says that a proposal to have a two league structure (Super league & first division) has been tabled, but no decisions have been taken yet.