SIMBA and Air Tanzanian Corporation Limited have signed a two-year shirt sponsorship deal worth 426m/- approximately $200,000 in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

The deal with ATCL makes a new dawn for both Simba and the country’s entire football and business and sports observers call it rare business acumen.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, ATCL Chief Executive Officer Ladislaus Matindi said that their partnership with Simba aims to use Simba as Tanzanian envoys in the continental level tournaments, to promote ATCL and its services globally.

He said their discussion with Simba took a long time because they wanted to satisfy themselves on how the club and the airline company will benefit through their partnership.

“It’s about marketing, promotion and branding of ATCL and after satisfying ourselves that Simba is a big brand, we have decided to sign this deal which will benefit the both sides,” said Matindi.

He said Simba will make ATCL known beyond the borders as wherever they go outside during their CAF Champions League or CAF Confederation Cup they will be taking ATCL flights as means of transport in and outside the country.

Matindi has advised other clubs to come with their proposal that will enable them sign partnership deals with ATCL as it has already done so with Simba.

Commenting on the deal with ATCL, Simba’s Chief Executive Officer Barbara Gonzalez said that both parts will benefit from the partnership.

“This has stamped historical agreement with ATCL. We started negotiation since April this year and today we have reached an agreement that will see each part benefits. We will use their services and will advertise them beyond our borders,” said Gonzalez.

The contract brings the government-owned airline very close to the football fraternity as the deal enables Simba to use ATCL aircrafts in all their domestic and foreign flights.

Simba are one of four Tanzanian envoys playing in the CAF governed inter-club championships.

Simba with traditional rivals are engaged in CAF Champions League while Azam and Biashara United are vying for the group stage of the CAF Confederations Cup.

Though lower priced compared to the globally popular deals like that of Emirates with Arsenal, or Real Madrid, Simba’s deal with ATCL has brought to Tanzania something worth to reckon with.

Almost in similar approach, Liverpool signed an £80m, four-year shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered in September 2009.

In 2011, Manchester City signed a 10-year deal reportedly worth £400m with Etihad for the airline’s name to go on both the club’s shirt and the stadium.