Bosso look to Nyaradzo to ease sponsorship deficit

HIGHLANDERS have set their sights on increasing remittances they rake in from Nyaradzo Funeral Assurance as they look to easing the deficit caused by the reduction in funding from principal sponsor, BancABC.

The club recruited more than 50 sales agents to sell Nyaradzo Bosso Score Pack policies through which the club will receive quarterly royalty payments. The agents attended a training seminar last week organised by Nyaradzo at their Kelvin offices and they are expected to start operating immediately as freelance sales agents.

The club has been receiving about $28 000 a year from the funeral assurance company on the back of efforts of a sales representative, who is employed full time by Nyaradzo. Bosso are hoping with the increase in the number of agents, who are spread all over the country, the annual income from the Score Pack plan would increase to over $200 000.

Presenting his report at the annual general meeting held last Sunday acting chairman, Modern Ngwenya said proceeds from Nyaradzo came in handy in 2016 after BancABC reduced their sponsorship from the previous year.

The bank, which pays the team's salaries has since 2015 been gradually reducing its sponsorship. In 2014, Bosso got $700 000 and in 2015 and 2016, it got $400 000, and indications are that it will get between $200 000 and $250 000 from the bank this year.

"In a year (2016) in which our sponsorship was cut by almost 50 percent, Nyaradzo came in handy as a worthy and valuable partner. We have benefitted immensely in our partnership. Our desire in 2017 is to market their brand aggressively 10 times more so we can realise mega profits as a club. We have identified 50 people to be trained as representatives for their policies right around the country," he said.

Secretary-general Emmett Ndlovu said 51 agents have been trained and they were identified through Bosso chapters. He said the main aim was to spread uptake of the Bosso Score Pack plan to other areas outside Bulawayo.

"With a wider geographical reach, we are in a position to sign up more people hence the selected agents are from our chapters in various locations across the country. Although they will be paid on a commission basis we hope they would be motivated enough to ensure they keep the numbers growing," said Ndlovu.

Highlanders' principal sponsor BancABC reduced funding for the club and this is set to result in a deficit for salaries for the players, technical staff and office staff whose dues were paid by the sponsorship package from the pan-African financial institution.

Ndlovu said the partnership with Nyaradzo has been going on for some years now following the arrangement that saw Highlanders receive a luxury bus from the funeral services company.

"There has been one agent working with Nyaradzo and Bosso covering the whole of Matabeleland but now we decided to recruit more sales reps because we believe most people in Matabeleland support Highlanders in one form or the other hence only aggressive marketing is needed to rope them in. Any person who takes a policy or has a Nyaradzo policy can register it under the Bosso score Pack plan which would result in a percentage of that amount being directed to Highlanders at no extra cost to the policy holder," he said.

Ndlovu said they realised it was critical to embark on an overdrive and conscientise Bosso fans and sympathisers there is much to benefit from being associated with Nyaradzo as it was a win-win situation. He said the partnership was different from a sponsorship as funds would be remitted as long as policy holders were still paying.

"Funeral assurance is a product that we all need and it is a simple way through which we can increase the club's income. The arrangement is mutually beneficial and all three parties-policy holder, Nyaradzo, Bosso," added Ndlovu.

The fall in gate takings and reduced income from sponsorship has hit Bosso hard as the team is already battling a debt of close to $800 000 debt, which is not showing any sign of abetting.