AFC Leopards terminate Ksh 60M Spotika deal
AFC Leopards have prematurely terminated their ‘agreement’ with gaming firm Spotika a month after they announced the deal.
On June 25, the 12-time Kenyan champions announced that they had entered an agreement with Spotika for the entire season with the gaming firm named the official shirt sponsor.
The Ksh 60 million deal was made public at a ceremony held in Nairobi in the presence of Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa, Director Immigration Services Alex Muteshi among other invited members of the club.
Although there was no official launch of the deal, AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda and the dignitaries were pictured displaying a dummy cheque of Ksh 60 million which was arguably the biggest sponsorship the club has ever gotten from any institution.
After the launch, many questioned the details in the deal that was signed just a few days to the elections and their fears were realised on Wednesday July 27 when the FKF Premier League giants announced that they had terminated the ‘sponsorship pledge’ with Spotika after the latter failed to meet part of the agreement.
In a letter posted on their social media platforms, the club confirmed that they had received Ksh 2 million from Spotika but was yet to receive a similar amount as was agreed.
“The Club has been in compliance with the terms of agreement advertising Spotika’s products on its social media platforms and website. Spotika paid the initial installment of Ksh 2,000,000. However, in breach of Agreement, Spotika has, despite several requests, refused and/or failed to pay the balance of Ksh 2,000,000 either as agreed or at all. The Club’s officials have tried in vain to get a meeting with Spotika officials,’ read part of the statement.
Sources have told People Daily Sports that the deal was not actually going to materialise because of interests from some of the members in the Ingwe hierarchy.
“They are already in talks with another betting firms as we speak, very soon you will see them come out shouting that they have a better deal,” our source said.
Already cracks have emerged in the new office that was elected just a few weeks ago and some of the newly elected members are believed to have been against the idea of announcing a deal that was not official yet.
“We are now talking about a new deal coming in, already we have seen players report for preseason in Spotika branded kits, this is not a good show from such a club,” our source lamented.
“The deal with the other gaming firm will be announced soon but it will require the blessing of every member of the office.”
Ingwe have already reported for preseason with the club still owing players and members of the technical bench salary arrears.
