By Agnes Olawo,

SportPesa has sunk its teeth into Kenyan football. It is the main sponsor of the SportPesa Premier League after the former sponsor 3-year deal contract East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL) through its brand Tusker expired at the end of June 2015.

Its sponsorship runs for four and a half years as the fee remains undisclosed contrary to how EABL went about its unveiling and disclosed its fee which stood at SHS 170 million. Despite this, the deal is said to be an upgrade of what EABL was offering.

So what can these “greener pastures” do for Kenyan football?It’s no secret that there’s more money in the league currently and this kind of sponsorship is the life blood of the sport. Ideally, this should mean better remuneration for the players;

clubs get money to run their affairs. It creates an attraction for potential sponsors to come through for various clubs. Together with that, the league becomes well organized and maintained at the highest standards.

The certainty of financial stability for the next 4 years puts a bright spot for the SSPL, the players and the clubs. There is little to worry about and more to work for. Much has been said about the quality of the SSPL as the comparison of its teams in regional competitions is not satisfactory.

SSPL has no representative in the CAF Champions League as both Gor Mahia & Bandari were bundled out. With SportPesa immersing itself in the league, the tide is expected to turn and reap benefits not only in local competitions but also at the regional front.

SportPesa also came through for the two biggest teams in the league with lucrative deals for both Gor Mahia & AFC Leopards as their main shirt sponsor. Gor Mahia, who went the entire 2015 season without a sponsor, has something to smile about though a dark cloud still hangs over them as they are yet to settle unpaid wages and allowances.

However, with SportPesa having cashed in big, many hope that they will finally be able to get their act together and spend wisely and effectively. The same goes to their arch rivals AFC, sponsored by SportPesa.

The politics doing rounds at the club with evident effect to the team’s performance for most of last season is a chapter many hope will finally come to an end.

Competition is expected to intensify between the two with AFC having started the 2016 season on the right foot as Gor looks to climb out of its struggles. As both teams add on a crucial ingredient to their league campaign, a lot is expected from them and one can only hope that the newly found fortunes will spur them to greater heights, create a long-lasting thrill which will turn the tables around for them in continental competitions.

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com