The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda and Don Makanyanga
DYNAMOS have not been sold and the club will remain Dynamos FC, not RG Dynamos as has been wildly speculated following the one million dollar per season deal signed between the Harare giants and Gold Leaf Tobacco last week.
Gold Leaf Tobacco will sponsor Dynamos for the next five years through one of their brands Rudland & George (RG) in a deal set to reawaken the dormant giant.
There has been confusion within the football fraternity over the nitty-gritties of this deal with some reports suggesting DeMbare had been renamed RG Dynamos.
Former Dynamos skipper Memory Mucherahowa took to Facebook seeking a clarification on the deal.
“Tanzwa good news that Dynamos has got a new sponsor at last. Makorokoto. But like many, I’m confused. Can someone clarify this to me, if this is a sponsorship or a takeover?” wrote the most successful Dynamos skipper ever.
However, Dynamos marketing and public relations executive Tinashe Farawo insists DeMbare will not be changing their traditional name.
“Dynamos remains Dynamos FC. The arrangement we have with RG is a sponsorship deal to help each other.
“The club has not been sold. What we have is a very good marriage, a win-win arrangement in which Dynamos will help grow the RG brand and in turn RG will help grow ours,” said Farawo.
“This deal is not exclusive. Dynamos can have other sponsors but we will have to consult our main sponsor RG.
“Actually, tomorrow (today) we will be meeting chairpersons of the various supporters chapters and we will also take that opportunity to clarify this issue,” added Farawo.
Buoyed by the sponsorship deal, Dynamos players have been paid their January and February salaries as well as all the sign on fees.
And morale is naturally high at the club ahead of today’s charity challenge match against Caps United at the National Sports.
The match which has been organised by Passion Events will see the winners walking away $20 000 richer with the losers pocket $15 000.
DeMbare coach Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe believes the sponsorship deal will spur his boys.
“The coming in of a new sponsor has relieved a lot of pressure in terms of expectations from the players. The onus is now on the boys to win the hearts of the multitudes of the Dynamos supporters,” Chigowe told the media.
On the other side of town, Caps United players were paid their January salary last week and will fulfill today’s derby.
