PSL sponsorship wing needs new faces

THE PSL's chief sponsorship negotiators - same people, for the record - have done it again.

Buoyed by their success of securing the landmark broadcast rights deal in 2007 with SuperSport International, the committee went for broke to clinch another lucrative five-year contract with the pay station worth a mouth-watering R2,5 billion.

The initial deal was worth R1,6 billion and the members of this committee received more than R30 million in bonuses. That drew widespread criticism from other executive committee members and soccer fans alike.

The hue and cry drew the attention of parliament and PSL chairperson Irvin Khoza was forced to explain to a parliamentary committee the reason behind them sharing the booty.

Khoza, revered for his negotiations nous in securing sponsorships, told Parliament then that they were entitled to the 10percent commission after all clubs agreed to it at their AGM.

The 2007 committee was made up of Khoza, Kaizer Motaung, Mato Madlala, CEO at the time Trevor Phillips, John Comitis and marketing consultant Peter Mancer.

The current committee is almost the same as the previous one apart from new CEO Zola Majavu and Santos boss Goolam Allie.

Though I don't take anything away from these guys in terms of their negotiating savvy for sponsorships, I find it very strange that the same committee comprises the same people.

It is as if there are no other people at the PSL who can clinch sponsorship deals for the league. This is not about bonuses but about the growth and empowerment of other people.

I don't think, at least from where I'm standing, that the PSL is doing something radical to capacitate other members of the league in this regard.

Will we see the same people when negotiations for the new sponsorships begin again in five years' time?

I know I will receive some flak from those who will argue that "why change it when it ain't broken", but the fact is that the people in the current committee will not serve the PSL for life.

There will come a time when they will call it quits for whatever reason, and who will be ready by that time to get sponsors?

For the league to continue to thrive as far as sponsorship is concerned, more people should be empowered and the process should start now.

People with potential should be taught the ropes by Khoza and company, and they should be introduced to various companies and potential sponsors. They should be widely known from now under the current committee.

This should be part of a change and growth at the PSL.

Yes, change is painful sometimes but it's inevitable.

Poet Mzwakhe Mbuli titled his 1986 offering Change is Pain.

Margaret Ann Lembo, the owner of The Crystal Garden new-age store, once asked: "Why is it that certain changes seem too much to handle?"

Lembo went on to say: "Sometimes change is good. Actually, change is always good because that is the nature of our reality."

I could not agree more with Lembo on this one.

There have been serious changes in the administration of the PSL, so why can't we see changes in the sponsorship committee?

Is it a case of the more things change at the PSL headquarters in Parktown, the more they stay the same?

Now that the new deal has been clinched, I hope there won't be any contentious issue of bonuses again.

Let those who deserve to be rewarded be rewarded for a job well done.