Overview:
The partnership will support league operations, media activities and cash prizes, while introducing digital ticketing as the UPL Board seeks to expand its commercial base.
The Uganda Premier League (UPL) has secured a Shs204m partnership with Centenary Bank, a deal its leadership believes signals growing corporate confidence in the competition as it pursues a more sustainable commercial model.
The agreement, unveiled at Mapeera House in Kampala on Monday, takes immediate effect and makes Centenary Bank the league’s official banking partner.
It provides Shs100m for league operations, another Shs100m for media activities and an additional Shs4m towards cash prizes.
The bank’s Gonza Pay platform will also power digital ticketing at league matches.
For UPL chief executive officer Bernard Bainamani, however, the significance of the agreement goes beyond its financial value.
“I personally don’t look at the figures in the contract. It’s the confidence the sponsors have shown by investing their money. This is what we have to protect jealously,” Bainamani said.
The partnership comes as the UPL Board seeks to widen its revenue streams beyond its existing relationship with broadcast partner StarTimes, with ambitions to attract more companies, particularly from the brewing and telecommunications sectors.
Bainamani acknowledged that the league’s history of institutional disputes and negative publicity had made corporate investment difficult, but said the focus was now shifting towards commercialisation.
“It has actually taken us so long to get partners because of the structures we were operating in,” he said.
“But the biggest setback has been the negative stories around the Uganda Premier League. This has stalled us a lot in many spheres.
“There have been many wars and many corporate partners don’t want to associate themselves with sports associations that are at war.
“But the wars have now ceased, and the next step in our strategy is to commercialise the sport while creating awareness among the fans and clubs to take the sport as a commercial product rather than a leisure investment.”
The UPL chief also pointed to improvements in playing facilities and club administration, saying more suitable venues had created greater opportunities for television coverage, while clubs were being encouraged to employ trained personnel.
“When SuperSport were broadcast partners, they could only broadcast games from Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, as many of the facilities were inappropriate.
“Now there are many grounds that meet international standards,” he said.
The UPL Board chairperson, Arinaitwe Rugyendo, called Centenary Bank’s vote of confidence “a huge milestone in our struggle to build a football economy in this country.
“It’s a huge milestone in our struggle to bring money into the league to make sure that we cater for the welfare of our players, and also make sure that our fans also get value for their money.”
For Centenary Bank, the partnership extends its involvement in sport and community development.
Managing director Godfrey Byekwaso said the bank allocates about 1.5 per cent of its profits to corporate social responsibility activities spanning health, sport, education and the environment.
“We know that football connects Ugandans, and we thought that with that infrastructure we need to support an institution that supports the same people we serve,” Byekwaso said.
He added that 38 per cent of the bank’s customers were young people, making football and digital financial services an attractive avenue for engagement.
The bank is already involved in initiatives including the Masaza Cup, Rotary five-a-side football tournaments and the Rotary Cancer Run.
Byekwaso also hinted at the possibility of the bank eventually owning a top-flight club.
“Maybe one time we shall have a football club in the Uganda Premier League. Wherever we go, we tend to be number one,” he said.