The Kenyan premier league has not really been at its most attractive in my memory. I grew up hearing the community clubs (AFC and Gor) as they were raising hell on the continental circuit and one of them even won one called the Nelson Mandela cup. But ever since those dizzying days there has not been much to write home about. No glory for Kenya with still no appearance at the World Cup and only one win in two African Nation's Cup entries in two decades. And off course no African club glory. If you consider that Kenyans are the most successful nation in Athletics if you consider the number of Olympic medals compared with our population then you know that we are not doing well. Let’s not forget how we are Football mad in this city and have gone to the pubs to watch our game especially of English premiership variety. We have gone to great extents to show our love even harming and killing others and our selves (one idiot apparently even wore a wedding dress).

Fast forward to 2010; a few many months before, the Kenyan premier league had signed up with the DTSV Company for the firm to be its official TV sponsor. I bet the footie authorities were ever so pleased they signed up with the South African based firm and not GTV the company which came with such a bang left with little fun fare. And with the TV money new revenue streams are now flowing into clubs. Sofapaka recently signed a deal with East African Portland Cement to be their official sponsor worth Kshs12 million. And on the wings of that came Kenya's mega deal with Kenya Data Networks (KDN) giving Mathare United Kenya's record sponsorship; Kshs20 million a year for the next three years. Not bad by any dint of the imagination. And yesterday came the time for Thika United to get paid.

It was at the Silver Springs in Nairobi yesterday where they announced the new sponsorship. For the new year Thika United will be sponsored Kshs15 million by Brookside Dairies, makers of many milk products. And as a bonus (unlike them greedy stock brokers and traders on wall street who need a flogging and not a reward for messing up the global financial system in recent times) they were also handed a cheque for Kshs2 million which is not too bad whatever way you look at. This was for their sterling performance where they had gone on to number three.

The speakers at this event included Brookside Dairies Marketing Manager Peter Wasonga, Gerald Chege the Vice Chairman of the club and the coach Abdallah Juma. They basically did the news thing; made statements, a cheque handing over ceremony and a Q and A from the assembled media corps. They also explained the philosophy of the club which is to work with young talent and mould it which is why the dairy firm is also taking part in the Schools tourney. The best five students leaving that tourney have a guaranteed place in the Thika United side and several of their players are already getting interest from clubs outside our borders with specific interest from the South African premier league. This coach Abdallah Juma fellow is a very colourful one and I am not surprised that he inspires his players thus.

A quick chat with the young players on the sideline told me more about the club. Their home stadium is the Thika Municipal Stadium which hosts 5,000 people. And they all pay kshs50 to watch every home game which is usually packed. They are also the club with the third highest support after AFC and Gor. Apparently AFC and Gor supporters nowadays will only be enemies when they are playing each other. All other times the two sets of supporters will cheer each other. Talk about frenemies. They also have a Facebook fan page and have their own website which is vital in this day and age for a serious club.

I was especially impressed by the club philosophy to be prudent in their finances and build their club from the youngest talent in the land. Kinda sounds like my Arsenal's philosophy...

>> Related links

:: Thika United Facebook fan page

:: Thika United

:: Brookside Dairies

:: Mathare United get record shs20 million sponsorship

:: Kenya Data Networks (KDN)

:: Sofapaka sign deal with East African Portland Cement

:: Sofapaka FC

:: Kenya's stadia revolution

:: Stadiums: A new partnership is born

Comments

Sandy sue

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Lovely story...i hope it churns out loads of talent to improve our National team...go Thika FC.make us proud

Friday 05 March 2010, 13:25

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