By Bockarie Allieu
FREETOWN, Feb. 25 (232news.com) – The Head of Communication for the Orange Mobile Company SL Mohamed Kallon has confirmed to the media that they are going to sponsor four Premier League clubs in three years. Among the four clubs two are from Freetown FC Johansen and FC Kallon and two from the provinces Wusum Stars and Diamond Stars. He said they have a wide sponsorship for the four clubs which does not only limit them on giving them money. Kallon said to sponsor football is not a strange thing to Orange as they are also one of the sponsors in AFCON competitions. Besides, when the league started they gave 60 mobile phone to 60 players plus Le1M top up to each players as man of the match award. He went on that Orange operates in over 20 countries in Africa. Already he said they have put aside Le1bn for the four clubs in three years term which will be review every year. Apart from the above amount he said they will be profiling all the players of the four clubs to enable scouts and fans to know more about the player’s age personal achievement and about their former clubs. To make the clubs self-independent he said the company will be providing short codes for fans to subscribe and raise funds for the clubs. In the short code the fans will subscribe for match updates and alert updates. At the end of the year he said the clubs will get 70% of the amount which the fans subscribe. In this case he said it is the responsibility of the cubs to inform their fans about the short code. In the sponsorship agreement Kallon said the clubs should use their logos on their jerseys and match tickets. He though said they are not compelling any of the clubs that they should win the league but if they win it or even end up in second position they will celebrate with them. Mohamed said they may not limit their sponsor to just the four clubs and say they may add if the need arise after they review the beneficiaries at the end of the year. He went on that they are presently in talks with other Sporting disciplines for sponsorship but said these Sports need to convince them about their achievements, popularity and the wider the game is playing. The Mobile Company also has plans to put the photo of the star players on their bill boards to expose and sell them to the public.
