Chippa official points finger at stadium bosses

Chippa United has blamed the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA) for the drop in its number of sponsors, claiming the entity has no understanding of sports, unlike the stadium’s previous managers, Access Management.

Chippa United chief operating officer Lukhanyo Mzinzi made the allegations at a sports, recreation, arts and culture committee meeting on Thursday.

Mzinzi was updating councillors and officials about the state of the football club – as the city sponsors the team – while representatives of EP Cricket and Isuzu Southern Kings also gave presentations.

In June 2017, the council agreed to bankroll Chippa to the tune of almost R15m a year for three years.

The money was split into R7m a year for relocation costs, R500,000 a year for marketing, R6m a year as a sponsorship in exchange for a front-of-jersey logo, and R1.2m a year for match-day costs.

Mzinzi said when Access Management was managing the stadium, the club had more sponsors.

“Our current bosses, the MBDA, are not as understanding of sports as their predecessor Access, which was mainly a sporting company.

“[Previously] we had sponsorships, we had cars from Isuzu, we had sponsorships from Coca-Cola and others when Access was still in charge because they are mainly a sporting company.

“I am not saying the will is not there, but they are only still finding their feet,” Mzinzi said.

Stadium manager Mpho Mokonyama said Mzinzi was trying to use the MBDA as a scapegoat.

“When was the last time Chippa United had a corporate sponsor outside of the municipality and when was the club formed?

“Corporates are not fooled; you can’t fool corporates because they associate their brands with brands that can offer them a good value proposition,” Mokonyama said.

“For Chippa United to sit there and blame us for dropping sponsorship is not a true reflection.

“The MBDA cannot be used as a scapegoat and I have a feeling that there is a smear campaign against the MBDA.”

Meanwhile, Mzinzi was grilled by the committee on Thursday, with councillors demanding to know why the club chopped and changed its coaches.

They also asked questions around the club’s standing on the log and why it had been playing some games in East London when they could play at the Wolfson Stadium.

But Mzinzi said the city had supported their move to play some games in East London to bridge the financial gap as the Bay municipality could not afford to pay the club for more matches.

Mzinzi said they would sign a contract with Buffalo City Metro on Friday to play more games in East London as well as to see the team refunded for matches they have yet to be paid for. Asked what plans were in place to get sponsors, Mzinzi said the club was in the process of finalising a sponsorship deal with a major vehicle maker.

EFF councillor Zilindile Vena urged Mzinzi to embark on a sponsorship drive and to resolve his issues with the MBDA.

“If you can be on a serious campaign of mobilising sponsors, you will find them.

“You are strategically positioned because you are in the economic hub of the Eastern Cape. It can’t be that you are relying only on Safa and ourselves,” Vena said.

Mzinzi said they had tried to land a major sponsor with a tyre manufacturer, but a deal fell through.

The DA’s Sebenzile Rafani urged the club to hold on to coaches and avoid chopping and changing.

ANC councillor Xola Sabani urged the team to play more games at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele.

“What is the plan to make sure that you retain your status [in the PSL]? For us, having you play at that level is also boosting the city and we are happy that you have played at that level for all these years.

“But what is your plan to improve?” Sabani asked.

Mzinzi said a visit from Safa officials to the Wolfson Stadium could jeopardise the city’s chances of hosting Maritzburg United on January 19.

Safa inspectors felt the fence around the field was not up to standard.

Mzinzi said there was an undertaking that this would be fixed by the municipality.