Recently, the Kenya Premier League company (KPL) received about Ksh one billion from Supersport to run the league between now and 2015. Mr Elly Kalekwa, the KPL chairman, revealed that thanks to the deal, KPL clubs will earn almost double what they got under the expiring deal.
This is definitely a strong statement of commitment to Kenya football from Supersport, which envisions a future of football where the huge sums currently spent to acquire broadcast rights for European leagues will be committed to African leagues.
Already, the benefits of the expiring US$ 5.5 million deal are visible to football lovers-the Kenyan league has greatly improved. Football fortunes in Kenya have been so transformed that foreign players are being lured to display their talent here, which is remarkable considering that barely five years ago, there was no foreign player in the local league and Kenyan players had grown accustomed to seeking greener pastures in the regional leagues of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia.
KPL players are now very competitive and motivated, which can only lead to better football performances in the country. The latest evidence of this progress is Kenya's qualification for the next stage of the African under 20 chamionships, after the local lads bundled Sudan out with a 3 - 0 thrashing.
With the improving organisation and compensation for local footballers, one can only hope that it is only a matter of time before Kenyan clubs return to winning ways on the continental stage.
It is important to point out that Supersport's intervention itself was preceded by a confidence-inspiring professionalism injected into the game by KPL, which has greatly transformed the running of Kenyan football within a span of five years. Gone are the days when league champions were determined through boardroom deals or when relegation of a team depended on whether it enjoyed political or administrative patronage
The achievements attained point to greater possibilities, if only we can banish politics and corruption from the country's football administration. Every aspect of local football, from the living standards of players and officials, the competitiveness of Kenyan football, to officiating and coaching, would receive a tremendous boost if we embraced this mindset.
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Local referees are set to benefit from a three year Ksh four million kit sponsorship deal, where Umbro, the British sports manufacturer, will donate kit for all 64 referees. The downside, however, is that the deal is not inclusive of boots supply. Shouldn't KPL have negotiated some more to obtain a complete package?
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