Turkish kit manufacturing company, Fitcom, have signed a four-year kit sponsorship deal with 62 local clubs in Ghana.
The deal was announced at a short ceremony in Accra on Thursday.
The company will provide all their clients, including some Premier League sides, Division One League clubs and all 16 women’s league clubs, with a set of home kit, a set of away kit, two sets of training kit, a set of tracksuit, polo shirts and bags at no financial cost to the clubs.
The deal was brokered by Ghana Football Association presidential hopeful, Nana Yaw Amponsah who is also chairman of Phar Rangers.
He said of the deal; “l realized branding was an area that needed attention if we want to package our football and make good money like countries like Brazil and others are doing.
“I started with Phar Rangers and proposed to Fitcom why they should come to the Africa market and Ghana in particular. Branding football well makes it attractive and gives you the right kind of money in return, that is why clubs outside sell one player for so much. Football is big business; and it starts with the right branding and it the reason Fitcom is here.”
General Manager of Fitcom, Demirkaya Tunahan said Nana Amponsah’s quest to take Ghana football to another level stirred his outfit to come on board saying, “What we are witnessing today goes beyond just sponsorship. Through the instrumentality of Nana Amponsah, plans are in place to establish kit shops across the country in the short term and later build kit manufacturing factories in Ghana.”
Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA ) chairman Cudjoe Fianoo, who described the signing as monumental commended Nana Amponsah for the initiative and expressed the wish that the marriage lasts longer taking into account the benefits the clubs and Ghana in general stand to gain.
A beneficiary club administrator, Alhaji Karim Gruzah (King Faisal) lauded Nana Amponsah and his team for the initiative.
Also present for the ceremony was Ertemcoz Serdar, Fitcom Agent to Africa.
All being equal, the sponsorship is expected to start from the 2019/20 league season.
Fitcom officials call on Sports Minister
On Wednesday, officials of Fitcom, Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah.
The delegation led by Nana Yaw Amponsah, included Demirkaya Tunahan, General Manager of Fitcom and Ertemcoz Serdar, Fitcom Agent to Africa.
The visit preceded the signing ceremony and launch of kit sponsorship contracts involving the over 60 Ghanaian clubs.
Officials of Fitcom, with Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah (middle) hold up a sample of the Fitcom jersey
Hon Isaac Asiamah commanded Nana Amponsah, for brokering the kit sponsorship deal that, will see over 60 teams spread across Premier League, Division One and Female Premier sides kitted by Fitcom for the next four years.
The Minister said that “This is exactly what Ghana football needs to move it forward. These are some of the things needed to rebrand the game and push it to the next level.”
“Nana Yaw Amponsah has proven to be very progressive and we at the Ministry are excited about this deal and are happy for the clubs.”
“These are the things we need. Football is huge, the passion is there and it’s important to make and keep the attraction. This is very good.”
The Minister told the Fitcom officials that,“There is a huge market in Africa and it will be great to consider making Ghana the hub for entering the continent.”
He encouraged Fitcom to establish an outlet in Ghana, and leverage on the opportunity to have good returns on their investment.
“Ghana is the most peaceful country on the sub region and it’s the best place to begin the journey to entering Africa. All the countries surrounding us are equally passionate about football too”.
Nana Amponsah on his part said this was the beginning of his intentions to brand Ghana football, and propel it to an enviable pedestal among her peers across the continent and the globe.
“I’m very passionate about the prospect of putting Ghana football on the map and claiming our best share of the global cake through football business.”
Fitcom is Turkish kit outfit whose ultramodern facility manufactures for brands like Jako, Kappa, Ulmsport and for great teams in the German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A , Turkish Superliga.
