05 Feb 2023

Mochudi Centre Chiefs has revealed a 10-year sponsorship worth P68 million with DC Tours, which translates into P6.8 million per season.

The launch brought the first sight of DC Tours on the front of Mochudi Centre Chiefs shirt in a partnership that is expected to run until 2033.

Speaking during the sponsorship launch in Gaborone on Friday, Minister of Trade and Industry, Mmusi Kgafela said government recognised the important role sport played in the socio-economic development of the country, which was in line and in harmony with the aspiration of the national long term vision.

He said it was pleasing that citizen-owned business entities came to realise the importance of investing in sport.

“It is with great pleasure that local companies are investing in sport development as this could be a key aspect of economic development through the value chain beneficiations that government is striving to promote,” Minister Kgafela said.

Minister Kgafela, who is also Mochudi West legislator, urged Chiefs management to get the team’s affairs in order and transform it into a professional entity in order to attract sponsorship deals.

“It was disappointing that Chiefs was in the past marred by a lot of disputes and financial lawsuits, which blemished its image and deprived the team any opportunity to attract sponsors, since there is no company that would like to be associated with any negativity,” he said.

He said Chiefs had always been alive to the reality that securing a stable and lucrative sponsorship deal would put an end to their financial woes and bring back glory days.

Minister Kgafela expressed optimism that the sponsorship would motivate players to work harder and help the team in its endeavour to return to its glory days.

DC tours’ CEO, Lapologang Molemele said the sponsorship was testament of his company’s commitment to sports development in Botswana and cooperate social responsibility.

He said Chiefs had arguably proven to be among the top crowd pullers with a huge fan base, hence it was only fitting for DC Tours to associate themselves with such a reputable brand for better business mileage.

DC Tours, he said, highly recognised the importance of building strong bonds and partnerships for meaningful and sustainable impact on both parties involved, hence the company’s decision to partner with the Kgatleng giants.

He said it was the company’s desire to directly use the partnership to connect with football supporters and various stakeholders in reaching out a wider clientele.

“From a business perspective, I thus have no doubt in my mind that our relationship with Centre Chiefs makes business sense and will yield positive results for both parties,” Molemele said.

He said his company would be proud to be a part of history in the making during Chiefs transition period to privatisation and professionalism.

“This partnership is in perfect alignment with our ambition and continuous goals to continue to make DC Tours as one of the most successful fully citizen-owned companies and we are thrilled to partner with a club whose passion and drive in all aspects are also in line with our brand’s ambition,” Molemele said.

He said Mochudi Centre Chiefs was not only an ambitious club, but was a team with a strong identity and uniqueness of elegance and excellence and their vibrant and loyal supporters had been their driving force from yesteryear.

Further, Chief’s chairperson, Victor Kobe commended DC Tours for coming on board expressing optimism that the DC Tours partnership would elevate the team to greater heights.

“I wish to highlight that the sponsorship comes at a time when the team is in transitional mode to privatisation, as such the exercise will resume in six months’ time,” Kobe said.

He said the sponsorship would be used to cater for the team’s welfare and players’ salaries, as well as financing the team’s structure including the grassroots development and ladies football team. ENDS