Top 4 on Monday received a shot in the arm when its sponsors in Metropolitan Lesotho and Standard Lesotho Bank announced an increased prize money for this year’s edition of the tournament
Mikia Kalati
THE annual Independence Top 4 tournament winners’ purse has been increased to M200 000 from last year’s M150 000, the competition’s sponsors, Metropolitan Lesotho and Standard Lesotho Bank announced this week.
The tournament will played on 7 and 8 October this year.
Premier League Management Committee Chairperson (PMLC), John Leuta revealed that they were handed a new three year- deal where the sponsorship for each year will be M520 000, bringing the entire package to a total of M1, 560 million.
Leuta said this package was purely for prizes and excludes logistics such as stadium hire and playing kits for the teams.
“The winners will receive M200 000, the runners-up, M100 000 and the third and fourth-placed, M70 000 and M50 000 respectively,” Leuta said.
Last year, the winners walked away with M150 000, the runners-up, M60 000 while the third and fourth placed teams got M40 000 and M30 000 respectively.
The Player of the Tournament will receive M8000 compared to last year’s M1500.
“There will also be M4000 for the Man of the Match in all the four games over the two days, M6000 each for the Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Top Goal Scorer.
“We have also increased the prize money for the referees and assistants because we want the best officiating during the games hence the Referee of the Tournament will receive M4000 with the two best Assistant Referees each getting M2000,” Leuta said.
He said just like last year, a portion of the money will be allocated to corporate social initiatives (CSI) where each of the four clubs get to spend M15 000 on a school or orphanage of their choice.
“Last year M40 000 allocated for CSI but it has been increased to M60 000 with each team getting M15 000 compared to last year’s M10 000.”
For his part, Standard Lesotho Bank Chief Executive Officer, Mpho Vumbukani, said they were happy to commence the new three year sponsorship package for the Independence Cup from 2017 to 2020.
“We are extremely happy to forge ahead with the third wave of our three-year cycle of the Independence Cup journey from 2017 to 2020.
“I believe that we made a solid investment in this football franchise that is now a force to be reckoned with and many football lovers look forward to the independence football spectacle every year with great anticipation.
“We are proud sponsors that will once more be joining Basotho in the celebration of independence through football and this tournament is also our way of thanking Basotho for their unwavering support of our two companies,” Vumbukane said.
Metropolitan Lesotho Managing Director, Nkau Matete, echoed Vumbukane’s sentiments, telling the briefing that they were extremely happy with the positive change they had made to local football through sponsorship.
“Today marks the third cycle of the sponsorship. The first took its course and we have just finished the second,” Matete said, adding, “The tournament has been a success since it started and we have worked well with Standard Lesotho Bank in sponsoring it”.
“Bantu has won it four times, Lioli twice and maybe this is the year that a new team will hoist this trophy.
“We are proud of our partnership with the premier league and thank Ntate Leuta for the good partnership.
“We are also proud that the standards of football are improving in a sport that was known for conflicts and fights.”
The tournament will be contested by premier league champions, Bantu; runners-up Lioli as well as LCS and Kick4Life who finished third and fourth respectively.
Prize money break down
Winners: M200 000
Runners-up:M100 00
Third place: M70 000
Fourth place: M50 000
Player of the Tournament: M8000
Top Goal Scorer: M6000
Goalkeeper of the Tournament: M6000
Referee of the Tournament: 4000
Assistant Referees: M2000 (each)
