Make football an irresistible product

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA



Namibian football can become a very expensive brand if the right tools are used to market the game. There has been so much talk about how commercialised football has become in other parts of the world.

A close example is our neighbour South Africa which has been marketing the game so well, with players, teams and coaches making millions of dollars.

Players earn big bucks, while broadcasting companies also get their fair share, in places where the game has been commercialised and made professional.

That is why it has become a dream of many African children to play in Europe or Asia because of the money and exposure they get.

This is not because the game is more attractive there; it is because it has people who makes it attractive.

Namibia Media Holdings' step to bring the game to computer screens was just the beginning of bigger things to come for Namibian football if corporate Namibia can utilise this opportunity to make themselves visible in the world of football.

Yes, it is a costly exercise but it is an exercise worth so much more as it can help many players accomplish their dreams of playing professional football one day.

Not only is this broadcast being watched in Namibia, but the world is watching and that is already putting Namibian football on the map.

The fact that we had so many people glued to their screens for the live broadcast speaks volumes of the value that the game brings.

This is why I urge those that are in football administration to use this opportunity and sell the game to those that can invest in it.

The mistake administrators make is that they get comfortable with the little funding they get from one corporate sponsor.

This is however a sign of being comfortable and just satisfied with the little you get as long as you earn some bucks.

It is actually sad that most football clubs in this country have struggled to acquire a single sponsorship.

Apart from what MTC, NBL and FNB, Namdia, Standard Bank who have been part of football in recent times, many companies still drag their feet on football.

It also goes without saying that there is a need for football clubs in this country to hire marketing personnel.

I hate the fact on so many occasions, Namibian football has only had a maximum of two sponsors in a season.

This is not enough if we want to commercialise this game and that is why administrators need to become more aggressive as far as approaching sponsors is concerned.

The other factor which can actually make the game more attractive to sponsors is when we cut the infighting and the negativity that has engulfed football over the years.

Companies love to invest where their brand is protected and that is what the Namibia Football Association (NFA) has to offer if they are to bring peace in the country.

As the media, our role is to ensure that the brand of football in this country gets a new face which it has never had before.

We are here to make sure that those fans that are unable to watch the game at the Stadium can log onto their devices and watches the matches live from the comfort of their homes.

Our job is to give the players an opportunity to be scouted and get contracts in bigger leagues as we continue hoping for an improvement in this country's football structures.

We will however also need the funds to remain alive in order to keep the dreams of those players alive too.

That is why one would have to praise all corporate companies and institutions that continues to advertise.

We need to take this football game to another level and we can only do that with the help of corporate Namibia and a collaboration with many stakeholders. [email protected]





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