Afriyie: Gh league good brand for sponsors

The Ghanaian league is a good brand and will definitely get a sponsor if Capital Bank decides not to be headline sponsors anymore, vice-president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) George Afriyie has said.

The League was dealt a heavy blow last year when the then First Capital Plus Bank, now Capital Bank, suspended its contract indefinitely with the Ghana Premier League ahead of the 2015-16 season.

The bank signed a five-year deal with the GFA in January 2014, worth $10 million in total, and $2 million annually, but it opted to halt all actions related to the league after the company reached a decision to undergo restructuring.

But Mr Afriyie, speaking to Class Sports’ Hussein Hassan, said the bank is aware of the consequences if they decide to opt out.

In his words: “If the body that is responsible for sponsoring the league, a corporate company like First Capital Plus, now Capital Bank, decides to say ‘I am going to opt out’…. Well, they are also aware of the consequences ….then we will look out for another sponsor if they don’t come back.”

“The premier league is a good brand, and we will definitely get a sponsor for it,” he added.

Mr Afriyie disclosed that the FA has not signed any deal with any company to sponsor the league so far.

“I think that somebody like me, I should be speaking on authority. When I speak it’s a statement, so once we have not concluded or sealed any deal with a potential sponsor it will be difficult for me to be standing here speculating. Once the deal is sealed we will definitely announce it,” he said.

The date for the commencement of the league will be announced on Friday, January 22.