More questions than answers
failing to comply with club license regulations, BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti said there has been improvement in some areas. Speaking at the recent BFL Annual General Meeting in Gaborone this past weekend, Letshwiti acknowledged the progress that has been achieved. “I must admit the first season under the BFL banner, the league went well with all games being played as scheduled. As we are all aware, it is not only completing league fixtures that a structure, a corporate entity such as yours, building up to the professional level, concerns itself with,” Letshwiti said.
Addressing stakeholder, affiliates and football structures at large, Letshwiti said there are still many questions despite progress but the critical one that must be addressed is whether BFL has grown in stature? How many clubs are now corporate entities with a defined structured ownership?
Letshwiti went on to question how much sponsorship at both the club level and the league have they been able to attract.
“How many of our clubs have been able to build the requisite Technical and Administrative Expertise, which is up to the set requirements of CAF at this level?” The president questioned the teams on how much has their membership grown. “Have we all built databases for our followers and supporters?”
Further more, Letshwiti challenged the clubs on how many of them own or have access to proper training fields and or match facilities.
“How many of our clubs have invested in Communications and Marketing strategies and to what effect have they been helpful?”
The president further asked: “How many BFL clubs have been unable to meet the Club Licensing threshold? Is the BFL introducing Club Licensing to First Division clubs?”
Nevertheless, Letshwiti said the questions he raise in his address are not intended to ridicule some of the good efforts they have seen from the BFL and indeed some clubs, but are a simple reminder that they must continue to measure the growth of the league.
“I personally have confidence that BFL clubs have the wherewithal to achieve the desired goals. Please remember though that the league or BFL can only be a strong as the clubs that make the league itself.” Letshwiti continued: “There will be no point in strengthening the BFL when its clubs are woeful. Without the clubs, there is no BFL. However, your conduct must also espouse your ambition and vision.” The president said there are clubs who still behave like amateurs, whose conduct is not of a club belonging to a body corporate, who publicly source donations from public which is in conflict with the laws of the country. “Going forward, we will be sanctioning these clubs. We must behave like professionals at all times. Remember that your professional conduct can only bring you the good spoils with both Government and the private sector coming into the picture.”
Letshwiti said given their conduct, sometimes one understands why some clubs really struggle, and why Government is not agile enough to assist. “You must take yourselves seriously for both Government and Business to come to the fray.
The reality is that strides will only be achieved by hard work from all at the BFL, including individual clubs, who must also through Strategic Plans, have a clear growth path to Professional Football. Not until we do this in a structured and sustainable manner, will we reach desired levels of commercialization.” Never one to mince his words, Letshwiti quipped : “The time for free lunches is long over; sponsors will only partner with well structured, controversy- free and well managed clubs. As our clubs transit into fully fledged professional entities, will they be in a strong position to dictate the form and shape of the sponsorship they desire, by being able to fully justify to potential commercial partners, a return on their investment. There is simply no ‘ short cut to success’ in this enterprise.”