The BFA and BPL are quite delighted to enter into an agreement with La Liga, because La Liga is an institution with a long remarkable experience in professional football. This MOU/agreement is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to develop football in Botswana.
This MOU represents an important milestone not only in Botswana but in the region for as we continue our efforts to advance football across the region.
We cannot dispute the fact that our Leagues are miles apart in a lot of ways, but I believe this makes the opportunities for collaboration limitless and we are excited by what this agreement represents growth and development.
We are also keen on learning from our friends at La Liga, who have been making great strides in strengthening and developing the sport not only in Spain but in the whole of Europe and worldwide.
Because we are aware that La Liga has entered into similar collaborations with other football Leagues and Associations around the world, we aspire to make our particular collaboration with them the best ever.
La Liga will support and collaborate with BPL to promote the development of professional football in Botswana in various ways. We will be the learners and La Liga will provide expertise. They have been in this game longer than us and they have done extremely better than us. So, it is only wise that we take cue from them. We will hold hands and walk together but we will hold firmly as we are learning how to walk.
As a developing league, it is imperative that we are open to learning, and we can only learn from the best like La Liga. To become the best league in Africa, it is quite important that we associate with the best in the world and we very fortunate that La Liga, the best League in Europe, has agreed to assist us in key areas of football that will ensure we attain our aspirations.
If our league can improve, we all know that there will be a wave of positive effect across football in Botswana………..our national team performance will improve, our Botswana’s FIFA Rankings will improve, our players will attract attention all over the world and so forth and so forth.
This MOU commits us to work together more closely towards the pursuit of professionalization of football. Each party, will pursue many significant activities in different areas, such as, commercial, marketing, innovation, finance, and administration, corporate governance, and management; security and integrity; Football Academies; local coaches and referees development and many others such as youth development, which our Football Association President Mr. Maclean Letshwiti is passionate about.
La Liga will also provide guidance and assistance in how to promote games and increase stadium attendance on match days in Botswana and Spain. We are all aware that this issue is a hot potato in Botswana and in the region and hope that the guidance and assistance that we will get from La Liga will greatly improve the current scenario.
The above are top priority items for the Premier League. And with this kind of collaboration, our league has the potential to become a self-sustaining league.
Football is huge, watched by billions (approx. 4billion), played by millions (265 million players [male and female], according to survey done by FIFA in 2006 called “The Big Count”) plus a further 5 million referees & officials, being ‘actively involved’ in the game. So, because of this, we have no option but improve.
At this moment, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone whose dedication and efforts have contributed to the finalization of this MOU. In particular, I would like to thank the La Liga office in Johannesburg and the BPL office. Their insights, goodwill and friendship have made the signing of this MOU a reality.
In closing, I would like to say that I am confident that through our efforts and commitment, we will be able to achieve more and to be able to continue to develop even stronger relationships and friendships between the people of Botswana and Spain. I would like to take this opportunity to assure you that Botswana Premier League will do whatever it can in order to provide a successful implementation of this MOU.
