By Dumisani Ndlela
Zimbabwean football fans have taken the unusual step of lobbying Econet Wireless Zimbabwe to bankroll the cash-strapped domestic premier soccer league (PSL) which has been without a sponsor for three years. This comes after Econet turned down league leaders in their quest for funding some two weeks ago.
Econet, which once unveiled an ambitious five-year league sponsorship deal with the PSL five years ago, pulled out over issues it said could potentially ruin its image.
Now fans have taken their campaign to the internet through the Facebook platform, and by early morning on Thursday, 13 May 2010, 262 members had endorsed the campaign on the social site.
“God will intervene”
“The aim of this page is to encourage Econet Wireless to sponsor the Premier Soccer League and justify why they should do so,” said a note by the site’s administrators, former Zimbabwe international Alois Bunjira and supporters Fibion Chibengwa and Tsungai Mavambe.
“God will intervene because everyone is waiting for Econet to support football,” said one fan, Francis Mandiwanzira.
While some commentators saw the campaign as a novel idea to lobby Econet into bankrolling domestic football, others saw it as blackmail aimed at forcing the company into a partnership with the domestic league.
Econet bankrolls Zimbabwe’s cricket, rugby and even the last gold open championship held in the country recently. Biz Community.com
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