With billionaire mining magnate Patrice Motsepe at the helm, the newly crowned African champions Mamelodi Sundowns are not short of resources.
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Adding up all the presumed transfer fees and estimated running costs over the 13 years since he took ownership, Motsepe has invested more than R150 million ($11 million) in the club, a sum far in excess of what any other owner, among the 16 teams that make up South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL), has put into the game.
The money took a long time to show any kind of return but Sundowns, ironically after a round of recent belt-tightening, can now look to run their operation independently after the windfall of their recent success.
Winning the African Champions League in October has ensured record earnings for the Pretoria-based club, although Motsepe is giving a fair chunk of it to his players as a bonus for their achievement.
In the Champions League, Sundowns took home a purse of $1.5 million for winning – by far the biggest sum the club has ever earned from a single competition. That is, indeed, true of any South African team.
The biggest prize in the domestic game is the R10 million ($750,000) that the winners of the league earn.
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The Champions League purse is to be shared among the players, said Motsepe in the wake of their success in Egypt, where Sundowns overcame hostile conditions in a display of resilience to win the title – only the second time in 21 years that a South African club has done so.
It is the biggest achievement in club football on the continent and brings with it a raft of other opportunities.
First, Champions League success means participation in the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan at the end of the year.
The competition, featuring all the continental champions, also offers prize money with a minimum of $1 million just for participating and going up to $5 million for the winner.
But unlike the Champions League campaign, where the cost of traveling through Africa can be onerous, Fifa pay all costs, including supplying 35 business class return tickets to Japan per club.
Another $1 million would be well received, although the costs of South African football are such now that it is pretty swiftly shredded through.
Not three months ago, Sundowns paid R11 million ($820,000) to sign silky midfielder Sibusiso Vilakazi from Bidvest Wits; a record fee for an internal move in the South African market. They also bought players from Bloemfontein Celtic and Free State Stars, and imported a striker from the Ivory Coast in a bid to strengthen their squad for a rigorous campaign to come.
To do so, the club has to get extra funding from Motsepe.
It is not just for the transfer fees, but the wages needed to lure these players to the club as well.
Bafana Bafana fullback Anele Ngcongca had opportunities to stay in Europe when it became clear he would leave Belgian side Genk, and also attracted interest from the lucrative Chinese Super League. But he has been lured to Pretoria with the promise of not only competing for silverware, but also a hefty pay-packet as he heads towards his thirties.
No PSL club survives on the monthly income of R1.5 million ($100,000) that they receive as their share of the television deal that broadcaster SuperSport agreed to for the next five years.
With attendances declining, gate receipts are for many clubs no longer a revenue source. They lose money on the costs associated with match days, such as security, stewarding and ground rental.
For many clubs, surviving without a benevolent owner with big pockets depends on the ability to develop and then sell players. Some have made it a useful enterprise and keep their heads above water, ensuring survival but effectively losing their ability to be truly competitive.
Free State Stars have an uncanny ability to find quality players at no cost and then sell them on at a healthy profit. Ajax Cape Town, with their extensive youth network, is another ‘selling’ club.
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As is the trend internationally, emphasized by the rise to the winners’ podium of Manchester City and their Abu Dhabi investors in England or the Qatari cash that has made Paris Saint-Germain the runaway power in France, so the South African league too is fast becoming a lopsided arena.
It was no accident that last season’s top two finishers – Sundowns and Wits – are owned by tycoons with a passion for the game. The growing rivalry between Motsepe and Wits owner Brian Joffe is set to continue this season.
Perennial challengers like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are increasingly unable to compete for the best talent – both coaching and player wise. It was not by accident that last season was the first time in almost 50 years of professional football in South Africa that neither of the well-supported Soweto giants won a single trophy.
They will remain competitive while their revenue stream, from sponsorship and replica shirt deals, is strong but that they are no longer the ‘big bulls in the kraal’ is all too evident.
SuperSport United, with the backing of MultiChoice, could grow into the third power in the South African game but do not have the largesse and impulsive ability to strike in the marketplace that both Sundown and Wits possess.
Sundowns’ new-found status and confidence gives them the sporting impetus to continue achieving. The bedrock of Motsepe’s cheque book remains a firm foundation but it helps they are also contributing to the coffers with their success.
The trick for them is to ensure that success of the last two years, which has also seen them win the domestic league title and the Telkom Knockout cup competition, continues for the next few years.
They are best placed to create a dynasty and become goliath in their own league, just like Lyon in the French Ligue 1 who claimed their domestic title for seven consecutive years in early 2000, or Paris Saint-Germain, who have won the last four.
Sundowns’ Champions League success this year could be the start of a period of dominance the rest of the league will be powerless to break.

Wealthy And Healthy

All eyes are on new Bafana Bafana head coach, Gordon Igesund, to deliver for the national side as Afcon 2013’s kick-off date draws closer.
Igesund took over from Pitso Mosimane after a string of poor results from Bafana Bafana. He signed a two-year, performance-based contract with the South Africa Football Association (Safa) and has the task of, at the very least, getting Bafana Bafana to the semi-finals of the tournament.
Igesund has a solid track record in South Africa, having won league titles with four different teams—Manning Rangers, Orlando Pirates, Santos and Mamelodi Sundowns.
<div id="attachment_1496" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1496" class="size-medium wp-image-1496" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/1578892-300x233.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="233" />3 Feb 1996: The captain of the winners of the African Cup of Nations Final Neil Tovey of South Africa holds the cup aloft after President Mandela presented it to him. South Africa won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Mark Thompson/ALLSPORT</div>
However, so far results have been patchy. Igesund’s first game in charge was against former world champions Brazil. They lost 1-0 but Bafana Bafana’s overall performance was impressive. Igesund was content with the high work rate that players displayed on the field. His second test was against low-ranked Mozambique. Bafana Bafana won 2-0 convincingly against their neighbors. Bafana Bafana showed great character and strong determination against Poland but were unlucky to lose 1-0, away from home. Most recently, Bafana Bafana managed to bag a victory at the expense of Kenya with a 2-1 score in an interesting battle.
Igesund believes the results show that the team is on the right track as they gear up for Afcon 2013 that kicks off at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
“I have confidence in our players, that they have what it takes to deliver. [During] my first game, when we played against Brazil, I did not spend a lot of time with the players but they displayed high standard performances and gave Brazil a tough game.
“The players were playing an exciting passing game and they complemented each other well. It was a pity Brazil scored and we ended up losing,” says the coach.
In their most recent game, Igesund says that Bafana was faced with tough conditions but prevailed.
“It was a bumpy pitch, but we did cope and got a win away from home. That was an important result for us,” he says.
Still the pressure is on for the coach. The glory days of the 1996 Bafana Bafana team, under coach Clive Barker, that lifted the trophy means the team has high expectations. Afcon is back on South African soil and the nation will remember the 2-0 victory over Tunisia with goals delivered off the boot of striker Mark Williams.
Igesund says support is crucial.
“The support that we have from the nation will motivate us.”
South Africa has a dream start to the tournament that kicks off on January 19, at Soccer City in Johannesburg. They are in group A and will kick-off with a match against debutantes Cape Verde. Also in the group are Morocco and Angola.
Igesund says they’ll be ready and won’t dismiss Cape Verde or any of the other teams in the group.
“We will be ready to make the country proud by the time the tournament starts. Cape Verde might be making their debut in the finals but they will be a tough team considering they eliminated giants like Cameroon. Morocco is one strong team and Angola cannot be underestimated,” says Igesund.
It’s all about starting on a good footing.
“We have to take all our opening games seriously, in order to do well in our group.”
Bafana Bafana has a number of challenges. Former captain Steven Pienaar, who played for Everton in the English Premiership, has retired from international football.
Igesund has recalled Benedict McCarthy. Though experienced, the Orlando Pirates forward has been out of action for a while due to injury. The other influential player who is also uncertain is Kaizer Chiefs defender Morgan Gould. Igesund has not been able to select him for recent games because Gould has been battling with a long-term injury.
And most tragically, the squad will also be without first assistant coach Thomas Madigage who was killed in a car crash in October. The loss of Madigage has hit the Bafana camp hard.
“Tommy was very close to me. It is unfortunate that he will not be around during the tournament. He was a very important member in the team,” says Igesund.

Gordon Is Ready for Anything

South Africa lives and breathes football. Like oxygen, money is being pumped into the game in the form of prize money.
South African bank Absa renewed its sponsorship of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) for the next five years. The Absa Premiership is the richest sport competition in Africa, with R16 million ($1.9 million) up for grabs.
The current season will be different from previous seasons as it will be divided into four quarters, to be called the Q-innovation—the first of its kind in the world. As there are 16 teams in the PSL, each team will play 30 games throughout the season. The four quarters will alternate between seven and eight games, beginning with seven games in the first quarter. The winning team of each quarter will win R1.5 million ($182,600). The overall winner of the Absa Premiership will win R10 million ($1.2 million)—this means that there is a possibility of one team winning up to R16 million in a season. A bonanza for even the wealthiest of clubs.
Irvin Khoza—known in football circles as the Iron Duke—is chairman of the PSL and of the reigning league champions, Orlando Pirates. He is delighted with the renewal of the Absa sponsorship as well as the extra prize money.
“At the PSL, we are very excited with the Absa sponsorship and the new innovation that we have come up with,” he says.
“The prize money is very encouraging and surely it will help improve the standard of our football. When you look at our fixtures these days there is no game that is predictable because anything is possible in terms of the results. So it is going to be a very interesting season whereby all the teams that are competing in the PSL will be determined to do well from the beginning. We have very passionate supporters and fans who follow the progress of the PSL and we hope they will enjoy the quality football that the teams will be displaying on the field of play.”
MTN, the African cellphone giant, has also shown confidence in the PSL and has renewed their sponsorship for the next three years meaning that the MTN 8, with its popular slogan ‘Wafa Wafa’, will continue. The- winner-takes-it-all competition is one of the most-fascinating knockout cup competitions whereby, after merely four games, the champions win R8 million ($969,700).
MTN South Africa chief marketing officer, Serame Taukobong, is content that after a very successful four years of partnership with the PSL, which has benefited South African football, they will continue to invest in local football development and upcoming football stars.
“The MTN 8 is unique and is a very interesting competition that many people follow, hence we are so pleased that our partnership with PSL continues. It is even more exciting because we have the competition for the fans whereby they also have the opportunity to win some great prizes. We are looking forward to celebrating many more milestones in this MTN 8 exciting cup competition,” says Taukobong.
This season the football fans have shown great interest in attending the MTN 8 games—whether it’s the inexperienced or seasoned teams playing—crowds have been impressive. As the MTN 8 cup competition happens during the early stages of the season it showcases each team’s new players.
MTN was involved in bringing the world famous Manchester United to South Africa during their pre-season tour friendly games against Amazulu and Ajax Cape Town. By the way, if you need an example of how much money really is in football, Manchester United—the most valuable sporting brand in the world—is worth $2.23 billion. The fact that the two small PSL sides could compete on the same level as the nineteen-times English champions is a clear indication that the standard of football in South Africa has shown signs of improvement. Players across Africa show great interest in plying their trade in South Africa because of the magnificent stadium facilities and high salaries. Some top players in the PSL—who play for the big teams like Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns—earn more than some of the overseas players. These top earners include: Sundowns captain Teko Modise; Pirates striker Benedict McCarthy and Chiefs forward Bernard Parker.
The Telkom knockout cup is another competition in the PSL, which attracts interest, especially due to the R4.2 million ($511,000) prize money and the awards presented to individual players. What is encouraging for football in Africa is that the Nedbank Cup allows small teams from the lower divisions to participate, in what sometimes turns into a David-and-Goliath showdown for the R6 million ($729,600) prize money.
SuperSport, the satellite television channel which broadcasts across the continent, has been granted the television rights worth around R2 billion ($243.3 million) to broadcast the games live. Football clubs benefit greatly from these television rights because they get the grant from the PSL which helps them with funding. They can prepare for games properly, afford to stay in five-star hotels; travel on expensive flights, hire reputable coaches and pay good salaries to their players.
It appears failure is no barrier to the flood of cash into the South African game. The national team, Bafana Bafana, has performed poorly in recent games. The team failed to qualify for the last African Cup of Nations and struggled in the qualifying games of the World Cup against weak teams such as Ethiopia and Botswana.
Despite its lukewarm game, Bafana Bafana got a large financial boost from SABMiller, the owner of Castle Lager, which renewed its sponsorship of R100 million ($12.1 million) for the next five years.
The FIFA 2010 Football World Cup was a big success in South Africa when it comes to the organization of the event. The legacy continues as more and more investment pours into the country. Furthermore, South Africa will benefit for decades to come from its world-class stadium facilities and infrastructure which was built for the championships.
In the 1960s, Orlando Pirates used to travel hundreds of kilometers from Johannesburg to Durban on the back of an open truck. Now, they could afford to fly in private jets and the money, despite the recession, appears as likely as the Indian Ocean to dry up.

Tag: Mamelodi Sundowns

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Wealthy And Healthy

Gordon Is Ready for Anything

Football is Money in Africa