Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has taken a bold step to ensure that clubs maximise revenue as it has announced that teams would, effective this season, be getting 30 percent each from gate revenue at the end of every match.
Newly elected Sulom president Gilbert Mittawa disclosed this during the extraordinary general meeting held in Lilongwe on Saturday.
At present, clubs get 25 percent each from gate revenue, with ground owners getting the same share.
Sulom and Football Association of Malawi (Fam) get 10 percent each from league matches whereas the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) pockets 5 percent from every match.
However, Mittawa said as the TNM Super League rolls into life this weekend, teams will start getting the new gate revenue share of 30 percent each.
“The position was formed and teams will be getting 30 percent each. As to the policy and strategic discussions at Fam level, we have [taken] it to Fam and they are talking to Sports Council and all other stakeholders on how they are going to manage the affairs. We, as Sulom, presented the issue during the Fam Executive Committee meeting and we were assured that the new gate revenue sharing systems will be implemented,” Mittawa said.
However, Mittawa could not disclose names of stakeholders that will surrender their gate revenue share this season.
All the local clubs use gate revenue to supplement their budgets.
Fam General Secretary Alfred Gunda asked for more time before he could comment on the matter.
On his part, MNCS Public Relations Officer Edgar Mtulumbwa promised to revert us.
Two years ago, the council formed a taskforce whose mandate was to investigate gate revenue fraud. But it also expanded its scope to review how revenue is shared among stakeholders.
Some stakeholders are of the view that home teams should get a lion’s share of gate revenue.
Giants FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and Silver Strikers have a huge following as matches involving the teams generate more money.
Silver Chief Executive Officer Patrick Chimimba said the gate sharing system should be reviewed.
“It is unfair for big teams to get an equal share with small teams. Other teams spend a lot of money on marketing their matches. Going forward, home teams should get a bigger share than visiting teams,” he said.
Despite some TNM Super League matches grossing less than K50,000 last season, MNCS and Fam got their cut.
