Tantalising pot at the end of the rainbow for KZN teams

DURBAN: For a change two KwaZuluNatal sides will compete in the season-opening MTN8 cup competition when Golden Arrows visit defending champions Bidvest Wits tonight and Maritzburg United trek to Pretoria for a Sunday afternoon date with Mamelodi Sundowns.

The knockout competition which pits the top seed against the lowest is a winner-takes-all affair with R8 million going to the victors. It’s a tantalising prize, especially for the two lowest seeded KZN outfits. Although no strangers to the event they seldom qualify for it and so would aim to make the most of the opportunity to showcase their brand to potential sponsors.

“As a club this tournament is a platform for us to be recognised, and to show that we are not here to fight a relegation scrap every season,” said Maritzburg chairman Farook Kadodia. “Being at this level is a big difference to being in the relegation zone and finishing 10th.”

Sponsorless Maritzburg just this week confirmed they had negotiated a deal with the Msunduzi Municipality to receive financial support of R9 million each year for the next three years. The amount doesn’t cover their costs, said Kadodia, and therefore featuring in the MTN8 is vital to raising the value of their brand.

“The competition speaks volumes, with a winner-takes-all prize, which is a great incentive. At the same time the value of our club’s assets and the profile of the team goes higher,” added Kadodia.