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Tadious Manyepo

Sports Reporter

CAPS United have taken a giant stride towards addressing their needs after they unveiled a US$30 000 sponsorship deal in Harare yesterday. 

A local beverage manufacturer, Coover Bottlers, have committed US$30 000, per season, to the Green Machine, for three years. 

The Herald understands other sponsors have also partnered with the club and they are scheduled to be unveiled soon. 

Coover Bottlers managing director, Faraimose Kutadzaushe, said the sponsorship package would cover all the team’s beverage requirements. 

And, depending on the economic environment, the company could move to address other aspects. 

“We are glad to announce this partnership between Coover Bottlers and CAPS United Football Club,” Kutadzaushe said. 

“The idea behind this partnership is to ensure the players, and members of staff, are well taken care of, as far as their beverage needs are concerned. 

“As a company, this is the responsibility that we have taken, to be the key sponsor of their beverage needs. 

“We will also be supplying their training kits and T-shirts.” 

Kutadzaushe said the value of the package was subject to an upward review, depending on the economic environment.

“The value of the partnership is US$30 000 per year, for three years, but there are also some clauses which could see us stretching the package to about US$50 000 per year, and the initial three-year contract can also be stretched. 

“We are doing this for three critical reasons. 

“The first one is that we are a young brand, just three-years old but we have posted a lot of success, in the country. 

“We have had tremendous support, from our local banks, and all other stakeholders. 

“We want to make sure that the Zimbabwean population sees us. 

“We will be working with CAPS United, in various initiatives, we also want to see CAPS United succeed. 

“The third reason is that we want to build a sports business model in which we partner with sport and show how sport can be run as a business. 

“Sport is actually big business, if it is run as a business, it means the team will eventually become to sustain itself. 

“What we have done is clear the ground for other partners to come in and play other roles for the success of the team.’’ 

Club head of commercial and media, Raymond Gonte, said they were serious in transforming their club into a business.

“One cannot talk about local football, and omit the club, our great matches, our rivalries and certainly our talent,’’ said Gonte. 

“In 1999, we were the first local club to turn professional and, today, through this partnership and more to come, we will be the first to  implement the ‘sport is business’ mantra in Zimbabwe. 

“Despite the challenges around us, Coover Bottlers was formed and, even in its formative years, they have managed to have readily available beverages across Zimbabwe. 

“They are geared for growth,especially now that they have gone into bed with a successful and well-supported sporting brand, like CAPS United. 

“The partnership brings a good mix between a young (Coover) and a mature (CAPS United) brand, entertainment and refreshment, football and business. 

“With the door now wide open, we are looking forward to the many new partners that CAPS United and sport need. 

“No partnership is too big, or too small.’’