Sports Council challenges Nam on commercialisation, club licensing

Tom Sangala June 7, 2017

321 1 minute read

Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) has challenged recently elected Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) executive committee to rise above ‘petty netball politics’ and concentrate on commercialising and professionalising the sport.

MNCS Administration Officer, Henry Mereka, who was the returning officer during elections held at Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi on Saturday, said Nam should aim at introducing club licensing as a way of commercialising the game.

“You have to come up with a strategic plan to guide you on how to administer netball in the country. The success of the Queens at international tournaments should not be your only measure of success. You need to do more,” Mereka said in his advice to the Khungekile Matiya-led Nam.

Mereka said the Queens’ success should not be achieved by fluke but should be the result of good foundations supported by club licensing and well-organised leagues and youth structures.

Mereka said club licensing would also help teams attract corporate support because the teams would be well established in their operations.

He said it was a pity that spectators were watching the game for free all over the country when they should have been paying.

“This is because we are not running netball professionally. If we did, we could have been charging at the gates. We could have also gone for other commercial ventures to source extra funding for the association to supplement government subventions. Sports is an industry on its own and administrators must acquire skills of marketing their respective games,” Mereka advised.

Mereka also spoke of the need for visionary leaders in sports, citing Malawi’s lack of a standard in-door court as an obstacle to netball development.

“It’s pathetic that up to now we do not have such a structure. This is because our leaders do not have a vision to set up structures that can help us commercialise the sport and attract corporate support,” he said.

Matiya has promised to deliver in her four-year term.

“I will work jointly with all stakeholders. As Nam, we plan to set up committees to spearhead different activities such as marketing, development and technical. We are not here to fight against individuals or teams but rather, we want to work with everyone to promote the sport,” she said.