The recent mumblings in the Kenya Premier League point to what could end up being an embarrassing season for the Kenyan top-flight football league.
The withdrawal of giant betting firm Sportpesa from sponsoring the league following a tax row with the government has left the league broke to the bare bones as well as most clubs. The worst-hit appears to be Sony Sugar who could not even gather funds to honor a home fixture against AFC Leopards on matchday five and gave a walkover.
What is rather bizarre about the current situation in Kenyan football is the fact that the biggest sporting brands in the country, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are also struggling financially.
The two clubs have a huge following and have enjoyed long periods of success for them to be constantly begging for money from fans and the government.
Take for instance AFC Leopards which is registered as a Sports Club. This means that the club can invest in other sports like Basketball and volleyball which would bring in more corporates and fans on board.
Gor Mahia is more football oriented and is registered as a football club but that does not stop it from improving on their youth football teams. A good youth team ensures that there is a continuous flow of talent to the first team without actually diving into the market for new players.
The youth teams can also feed other Kenya Premier League clubs and the sale of these players would generate more revenue for the club.
Even better, both clubs could float their shares and for sure investors would be willing to buy into them and invest in the team. A team that is doing well on the pitch will also be of great value financially.
Also, it is embarrassing that teams of such great stature do not have their own stadium. The two can come together and build one stadium which would serve both of them as well as lease it to other teams during matchdays. Italian giants AC Milana and Inter Milan share the same stadium and it works perfectly!
Currently, in Kenya, most corporate clubs are not doing well which is clear evidence that they need to start making their own money. Nzoia Sugar, Sony Sugar, and Chemelil Sugar are all doing badly financially and in the league table while Nakumatt FC does not exist anymore. Chemelil is bottom of the table with zero points from five matches.
Finally, AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia could do with a shift from political figures running the clubs and install football men and women in those roles. People who are passionate about football will only make the club better and this adds to a positive matchday experience for fans.
So while clubs blame the government and Sportpesa for the lack of funds, one of the questions they really need to ask themselves is whether they have made maximum use of the opportunities at their disposal!