It is OFFICAL - Alcohol Bill in Kenya ends Sports Sponsorships

With the signature appended on the paper, Kenya's Pres. threw the alcohol industry into a new era. Gone will be the creative ads that have graced your screens, radios and billboards among others; your favourite drink will have larger imprints warning you of the harmful effects alcohol is likely to have on your health and that of your future generations.
In an earlier post, we had lamented about this given the amount of sponsorship and support accorded to sport by alcohol manufacturing firms in the country and the region too. Some firms seem to have read the script early and EABL in some mind-boggling changes dropped sponsorships from rugby, football and the premiere sport they have always supported, golf. (Wonder what happened to Tusker Sports...)
The tragedy for sport is that now more than ever there is need for companies to support this budding industry. The challenge though is seen in the form of companies being forced to enter into what some like to call CSR activities and also the sports federations developing very tight proposals for the companies they wish to target to approach for this.
If the Minister of Youth Affairs and  Sports is to be believed then let's hope to have robust sports industry....

EABL: Tough choices, what is happening?

After severing what was their major sports events, it seems there is some imbroglio at one of Kenya's biggest corporate firms. East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL as it were ) have seen their sports sponsorship diminish in the last one year and their influence in sport come to a mere trickle.From the controversial Tusker Athletics meet (which wanted to model around the Grand Prix events of Europe) to the more recent Sevens withdrawal, a major shift has been in the making. We cannot not speculate here what informs some the decisions but it raises issues. Tusker Sports-the sports marketing arm of EABL has reduced drastically its influence in sports. If you believed so much in a sport, what would be so bad for the abrupt withdrawal?
Secondly, what informs a sponsorship decision? This comes especially with regards to the athletics meet. This ought to have been a soft drink or health drink at that. The best EABL would have done is use Alvaro which again has seen a decline in market share with the entry of Novida from Coca-Cola.
Third, it seems with the change of management, there are a few feathers to ruffle. Mahinda departure has seen some fairly controversial decisions not just relating to sports but even in the region. Price changes (increases at a time when your consumers are really squeezed for cash), partnership disputes ( the Tanzania Breweries and Serengeti 'politics'), to a lackluster reality show in the name of Tusker Project Fame (which some named Tusker Project Shame).
Branding gurus who engage in valuation of the brands will show the figures at the end of the year and if not wrong, some of the EABL brands will see a decline in their size and influence. Maybe it's the lull before a storm, maybe there is something brewing, just maybe !

EABL severs rugby relations with final knock off Safari 7s

It's some of the news you don't want to hear or if your do you don't want to believe. How do you just wake up one day and decide to end such a lucrative and recognised events this side of the world?
I'd say it will be one of the worst corporate blunders of the year. I'm really hoping there is some rationale to this but you don't lose 13 years heritage and just say it's a 'business decision'. The Union I suspect may also have sent out feelers before finally severing their relationship with Tusker.
The bad blood started in May and the journey's come to an end. A quick check tells me there maybe a number of corporate firms willing to take up the sponsorship but there will be no brand close enough to what Tusker got to. It will also not be possible for the Union to cut a medium to long-term deal.
It's my hope that someone can prove me wrong, but we might see another of our sports events brand start going down the drain. Remember the Safari Rally without Marlboro?

CECAFA Club Championships 2009 -Sudan

While the Kenyan local scene dithers, the regional club scene raises the tempo starting today with the annual tournament today. Kenyans representatives include Tusker FC who are also the defending champs, along with Mathare United. These two clubs have been more consistent locally than most in recent times.

But comparing them with the competition they are upto will be no easy task and the local scene has not helped either. Much bickering between Football Kenya and KPL has seen the football standards dwindle compared to last season. The management has also been a round of chairs with TuskerFC most affected. Mathare have also struggled this season currently lying at 9th in the KPL.

The tournament organisers have put a good job forward and from images coming for Sudan, the pitches look favourable for play. The prize money has also been raised from the annual US$ 60,000 with the Sudanese company El Merreikh adding US$ 600, 000. Winners will take home $50,000 , 2nd place $ 30,000 and 3rd place $ 20,000.

The clubs representing their countries look formidable especially KCC (Uganda), El Merreikh and El Arab(both from Sudan-home advantage) and TP Mazembe ( Congo DRC) who have been invited to replace Ethiopia and Eritrean withdrawals.

I hope KBC will consider screening some of the matches ( freebie Kenyan in me). I do also hope CECAFA can secure sponsorship for the Senior Challenge Cup which is scheduled for later this year after the withdrawal of the now-defunct GTV who were the sole sponsors.

It ought to be a fairly well-attended affair if some of the countries do indeed qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations since the World Cup qualifiers have shown none of the countries in the region will qualify thus far.

Alcohol Bill: Are we fed up with investing in Kenya?

While I'm increasingly fed up with politicos in Kenya generally, I guess these guys have a way of into our skins than we thought. If not asking for more money for their bloated habits,they are busy greasing each other's hands to get this or that Bill or sanction passed or dropped. They have become busy protecting their turf's which are barely having any grass. But if what they are prescribing in the so-called Alcohol Bill is anything to go by, we can as well close shop and hand ourselves to the dryers! 

How do you prescribe to ban ALL forms of advertising relating to alcohol? From sponsorship deals, to the advertising in the media and any related form such as 'corporate social responsibility' will suffer from the

 ban. You're looking at investments worth over Ksh. 1 billion ( EABL spent KSh. 902 million in

 advertising alone last year coming in 3rd in the top 10 of monies spent in advertising in the country). Who comes up with this stuff anyway?

If the guys who draft these things are out of areas to pursue, they can talk a walk downtown Nairobi and see the realities of our harsh life in the City. 

And if they are trying to reduce the intake of alcohol, WRONG MOVE !True the trends we are seeing in the country need checking but banning ALL adverts won't change that. I'm remi

nded of what the US did in the 1920s & 30s declaring alcohol and tobacco 'sin products' and banning their sale. They became contraband and such attractive business for crime rings that they eventually had to revised the stand. Economic woes including the 1929-30s Great Depression did not save the situation ( can you see the similarities with what we are facing?)

Imagine not having the Safari Sevens, the Tusker Golf Open, the Kenya football team(however bad they play they are still Kenyans) without any branding on their shirts? Let's not give this thing a chance,I'm sure the companies affected will not take this lying down.

Truly our politicians have outdone themselves this time !

Golf : Kenya Open:- Truly Social ?

This time of the year Kenya (tagline-Kenya's Social event) entertains the PGA European Tour golfers as well as seasoned and budding golf players for the Kenya Open Golf tournament. This year sponsored by the Tusker brand of East Africa Breweries.
Kenya's premier social event....? Hmmmm....
Well, from the restricted entry into the club ( yes, you have to be a member...unless the club manager gives authority for the 'public' to be let in; to the rules like putting off your phone at the clubhouse; and even silence when the players are about to putt.
I'm one rare breed in a golf course and the only time I visited one was by default- chasing a goat (for Christmas) which had escaped our grips and made way to the nearest golf course. Guess the poor thing had sensed the last days of its life and decided to make a dash for it...
My friends tell me the members are usually a pretentious lot, holding their noses up and often catching up on the latest gossip in the corporate world on the 'greens'. They usually escape the 'fires of hell'-in the office to breath and catch one for the next day hoping whatever issues were there will be resolved before the end of the day.
What puzzles me especially in Kenya is the effort clubs go to trying to maintain the grounds. If the same effort was made by our politicians- who incidentally have numerous members in the 'gentleman's game', the harsh environmental concerns we are having would be in the past...but that's just a thought.
How come we have never managed to get a single player into the PGA proper even after playing this game -a vestige of our colonial masters?
But unlike me, if you can make way to the Muthaiga Golf Club and watch the 'green carpets' and take solace for awhile in these tough economic times !
Be careful what you pick !

EABL add more spice to Sports sponsorship

Coming through as one of the major contributors in sport, East Africa Breweries Limited-EABL added more incentive to the sports fraternity. Major beneficiaries of this move were Rugby Safari Sevens which secured KSh.28 million, and Cricket Kenya which got KSh.7 million. Tusker FC the 2007 Kenya Football Premier League winners and next year's country representatives to the contintental challenge got KSh.15 million with players receiving a TV set each for their exploits. Not on the list though was any sponsorship for the football national team which seems not attract any monies.
The total bounty for the EABL sponsorship totals KSh.390 million up from KSh.330 million put through 3 years ago. This has seen EABL through various flagship products such Tusker, Tusker Malt Lager, White Cup, Malta Guinness make sports a reality to disciplines such as athletics,volleyball, polo and traditional ones such as rugby,football and golf .
What can be done to some of the fringe disciplines as basketball,rowing,martial arts which have lots of potential and are seriously begging for funds ? Do we have to wait for them to perform for us to see the potential or can we be part of the build-up to that success ?
All in all,way to go EABL !

Kenyan Football Scene- Jab or Jive?

After a chaotic season Premier League and equally disorganized end of the League games, the Kenyan football takes a break for a few months. This is despite the fact that most Leagues in other parts of the world are in their 1st halves. To make it more interesting is the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup scheduled for early December in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. This is the ONLY serious tournament Kenya will hope to play until after the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as a national team, having been bundled out of the qualifiers earlier this year.
The item that has seen some positive sentiment on the scene is the recruitment of the Technical Director for KFF- Mr. Patrick Naggi- currently the Tusker Sports CEO and also Kenya Premier League Limited chairman. Having beaten 7 other applicants to the job, he seems destined for what might be things to come for Kenyan football. But is it really?
Thinking critically and in hindsight, let me show my pessimism with the said job;
First, as seen in the Premier League played this season, the Kenya Football Federation officials have been changed more than 3 times this year. The current crop of officials came through some court action and some letter and announcement made through the media. How legit do we think they are?
Secondly looking at the top officials almost all have served the federation before with any sterling performances. 20 years on while the game has grown in leaps and bounds ours has been reduced to a battle between the young men, a pair of shoes and roughshod grass on poorly maintained stadiums (with a few exceptions from those run by the Stadia Management Board). Doesn’t it hurt to see Kenyan stream to the local mabati kiosk with satellite TV to watch a game from overseas and the guys can name the whole squad, reserves and event the 3rd team if need be?
Third, some of these officials as is the norm around here have used their places as platforms for politics. I can’t see why these ones will be any different. I can swear to have seen one of them I the many political rallies that have been going on in these times.
Fourth, what structures are in place from the officials for the Director to take over? My goodness, this is one big task which requires enormous amounts of resources and also time and patience. If history serves me well, my Kenyan brothers will not spare his limb one bit if it doesn’t happen sooner than they expect. Ask any of the national team coaches both current and former.
Lastly and though not intending to belittle his achievements, he may not quite fit the bill for the task. Comparing with the likes of the German tactician who helped mould the Kenyan team of the 1980s & 90s, he can’t hold much ground. Exposure especially international, youth development and also commercializing the sport (which I hope he’s learnt in the 2 firms he’s worked with; Exclamation Marketing and Tusker Sports) might be points to give the sport much impetus needed to restore order and the shine it deserves.
Update:
FIFA has announced that they will not offer any more grants to the national team for any preparations or participation in the tournaments as they may come. The said monies will instead be channeled towards development of youth structures and infrastructure for the game in Kenya. Have they been reading my post or something……?
A FIFA development official Mr. Ashford Mamelodi also announced the renovation of one of Nairobi City’s stadium (incidentally called City Stadium-can’t they be more indigenous and innovative?) to the tune of over KShs. 39 million. This will help in laying the first artificial turf on Kenyan football grounds ( sic)....damn it has taken us that long ( and am not sure whether to cheer or cry since it ain’t fixed yet !)