RUMOURS: It is circulating around town that the sponsorship deal that bonded the GFF and the First Eco Partners is no more.
This seems true because recent media releases about the league have not been bearing the name of First Eco Partners thus fueling the rumour around. What must have been the reason for the abrupt end of the contract remains a misery.
A source close to the GFF said the deal has seized existing even before the beginning of the league. Another source who wish to remain anonymous said the deal seems to be suffering from malaria that is why they probably have not come out public about it.
For reasons best known to the two parties, they have both decided to keep it under the carpet. However, what is certain is that clubs should know if the said deal is no more and if the cash prizes will still remain the same even without a sponsor.
First Eco Partners entered into a three year partnership with the GFF to sponsor the division one league and have pledged D3, 000,000 to be spread equally every year.
The deal signed March 11, 2015 was described by the authorities of the GFF as a deal that will promote and develop Gambian football and indeed it increased the competition in the 2014/15 league season where the winner and the two runners up went home with close to D550, 000 as cash prize, money given from the partnership.
Gamtel/Gamcel as league winners went home with D300, 000, Real de Banjul as first runners up went home with D150, 000 while Gambia Ports Authority went home D100, 000 richer at the end of the league.
With this on the table, the twelve teams in the league entered into the 2015/16 league season with the ambition of finishing in the top three to receive a token at the end of the season.
When the deal was signed, the media was informed that D200, 000 was going into administration, D12, 000 into the grounds hosting the league matches, D20, 000 to each team for their movements of the teams to match venues, a set of jersey with the logo of the sponsor of the league and the provision of 100 match balls to be used during the season.
The division one league resumes over the weekend with GPA topping the table with 23ponits, five points better off Brikama United on 18points while the Gamtel/Gamcel FC sit third with 17points.