SportPesa gaming Company has signed a Sh26 million sponsorship deal with a Murang’a football club.
The company will for the next two years sponsor Murang’a Sports Excellence Academy Limited (M-Seal) Football club which plays in the second-tier league, National Super league.
The sponsorship will include support of the football academy which is set to become a major sports excellence training institution.
M-Seal based in Murang’a County also runs a sports academy, and is the only football club in Kenya with its own private pitch dubbed St. Sebastian Park.
Speaking during signing the sponsorship deal, SportPeasa CEO Captain Ronald Karauri said the company had made the decision to come on board to support the team as a way of promoting football and sports in the country.
He lauded M-Seal club for having established structures which are lacking in many football clubs in the country.
“We were satisfied with the structures of M-Seal. The club is well managed and we are sure of sponsoring the soccer team, we will also be supporting sports in the region,” he added.
Karauri continued “We are passionate about sports and have committed to support where we can. Last week we opened a refurbished boxing ring in Umoja-1 and today we are here to support this ambitious football club,”
He further said they are also focused on the natural talents of young people through the sponsorship, observing that many talents are not exploited due to lack of arena.
As part of its efforts towards joining the country’s top tier league, Murang’a Seal will on Sunday October 3 host Kenya Premier League winners Gor Mahia for a friendly match at the privately-owned St Sebastian Park.
M-Seal finished 12th in Kenya’s second tier league with 45 points last season and are raring to earn promotion to the KPL next season.
“This will be the second friendly match in 10 months to be staged at the Murang’a Seals’ side home pitch in a match dubbed the “handshake derby,” said M-Seal Chairman Robert Macharia.
Gor Mahia is currently in third place on the KPL table with 3 points after match-day one last weekend.
“The last time Gor Mahia was in Murang’a for a friendly, it really enjoyed playing on this pitch and having fostered that relationship with this club, we planned for a second friendly. Such matches against prominent opposition is also good for our boys, as we aim to play in the top league someday,” highlighted Macharia.
FKF Central Region Executive Member Davis Chege lauded organizations which have come out to sponsor struggling teams.
He said the support will see young people exploit and develop their talents, adding that lack of engagements subject youths to drug abuse.
“National and county governments need to embark in developing infrastructure needed to support sports. We have many talented people in our community but they lack the support to nature their talents,” added Chege.
By Bernard Munyao
