This is the most common question which floods my Inbox. People want to know which is the Richest Club in Zambia, which club has the most assets, which club gets the biggest sponsorships, which club pays the biggest salaries and biggest winning bonuses.
As interest in the Super League continues to grow its normal for football fans to ask these questions especially that we use Top European Leagues as a measure to what is good with the way information is freely available.
I have to say getting information from Zambian clubs is very difficult but there are a number of ways round it.
Firstly there are a few articles online with figures of Various clubs, secondly their are books written where a number of Zambian clubs were researched, thirdly many clubs here are owned by companies listed on the stock exchange and its easy to have a rough idea of how much is spent when they do their financial reports and usually the clubs are listed under CSR which in some cases is even broken down, and lastly relying on credible sources within many clubs.
Even among club officials there is an argument that information should be for public consumption with some arguing against it. So even within clubs its a big debate.
With Club Licensing though Clubs will be forced to open up.
Now to the question.
Which is the Wealthiest club in Zambia. A difficult one to answer because frankly no concrete information is available. Some will say Zesco United and others will say Zanaco and others Konkola Blades.
What I do have an idea of is some of the sponsored sides over the last 4 to 5 years.
Currently Power Dynamos and the KCM clubs seems to be the only clubs were getting information on Sponsorship is easy.
Last Year Power Dynamos sponsorship was $1.7 Million while the KCM clubs of Konkola Blades and Nchanga Rangers got $300,000 each.
In 2013 Roan Uniteds sponsorship over 2 years was around K3.4 Million which at the time was roughly $400,000 per year.
For other clubs the information is difficult to find on how much the owners fund the clubs. Particularly Nkana FC.
Maybe the Nkana FC issue is due to the rivalry with Mufulira Wanderers and one thing is for sure is that sponsorship is not equally distributed between the two clubs.
On assets the clubs with the most assets are definately the Konkola Copper Mines clubs of Nchanga Rangers and Konkola Blades. That information is available in a number of books and also research on clubs.
Both clubs own camp houses, secretariate and for Blades this includes a number of other property that they rent out, numerous shops etc.
On sponsorship outside of the Traditional Sponsors the good thing is that this has become very Transparent these days. Nkana FC leads after getting sponsorship this year worth $170,000 from Different sponsors.
This is the Biggest Sponsorship that any club has received outside of the traditional owners.
In terms of revenue most clubs don’t make that much from gate takings but the Kitwe Derby last year raked in around K400,000 at Arthur Davies Stadium for Power and the Electric Derby against Zesco United close to that amount ( around K380,000) and even the game against Red Arrows saw Power earn around K250,000 last season.
Other clubs stay mute on the issue of Gate takings but having been involved in Club administration its a fact that games involving Nkana, Power Dynamos, Zesco United will rake in good money if the match is on a weekend.
Mufulira Wanderers, Kabwe Warriors are two other teams that bring in money for the home side. Especially if the two teams are doing well.
Zanaco also tend to attract good crowds away. Infact more than they do at home.
Its quite possible for a number of the clubs in the league to make K1 Million plus from gate takings in a season. Very possible.
On issues of percs like winning Bonuses Zesco and Zanaco top but other teams like Power Dynamos aren’t far off.
Infact this is the one area where there is fierce competition. Especially when it comes to big games. You will hear players being promised double what their opponents get once one camp hears what the other side is offering.
Currently that’s the information available.
I’m aware that some may still be not satisfied with the information given but with club licensing taking a major role more clubs will begin to offer up more information and figures.