Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has disclosed that it has generated K210 million through sales of Malawi National Football Team merchandise from January to June 30 this year.
Fam Commercial and Marketing Director Limbani Matola confirmed the development Tuesday.
This is the first time that Flames replica jerseys have generated more money in six months.
Matola said the association has sold 7500 replica jerseys from January to June this year.
“These figures are unprecedented. In the past, we used to struggle to sell Flames merchandise to such an extent that 5,000 units would take us over three years to sell.
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“What is even pleasing is that, unlike in the past, when we used foreign brands such as Nike and Umbro, this time around, Malawians have demonstrated confidence in their own home-grown and designed Moto brand,’’ Matola said.
The Flames replica jerseys were also on high demand after the Flames qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Cameroon.
However, the replicas were not available and the association claimed that the delay was due to logistical challenges.
Demand also increased following the Flames’ impressive performance at the Afcon finals, where they reached the round-of-16.
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Matola said it was good that more companies are buying the Flames jerseys for their employees.
“As we celebrate Malawi’s tourism in this month, we are proud to pronounce that the Flames Moto Jersey remains the only authentic patriotic brand for Malawi. We are upbeat that the Moto brand will continue to sell fast during this period as it fits well as a perfect summer outfit,’’ Matola said.
The replica jerseys were also on demand after the Flames’ impressive performance at the Cosafa Cup in South Africa, where they finished fourth.
All the fans who are buying the Flames replica jerseys are getting free standard tickets to watch the match against Guinea at Bingu National Stadium this Saturday.
The Flames jersey is drawn from traditional house painting as well as patterns found on African fabrics, a true celebration of Malawian culture.
Meanwhile, sports analyst Felix Sapao has said football is a business.
’’If it is true, then we are moving in the right direction towards the commercialisation drive,’’ Sapao said.
Replica jerseys are one of the ways of generating resources for both national teams and clubs. Tanzania giants Simba SC and Yanga have been a success in replica sales through proper market research. For instance, Simba and Yanga each sell more than 100,000 replicas every season.
