AFC Leopards Chairman Dan Shikanda says the club has to start to begin making money and end the over-reliance on sponsors to run the team’s activities.At the moment, the only sources of income for the club are money from the sponsors and funds realised from gate collection during matches.The reliance on the two sources has over the years led to the team struggling financially when a sponsor pulls out and when fans are barred from attending matches like was the case during the Covid-19 period where fans stayed away from the stadium for over a year.Their return was however a boost for the team who recorded the highest number of attendance during their home matches.##NAJAVA_MECA_6471453##Three weeks ago the team lost its sponsorship deal with Betsafe but fortunately they have nailed another sponsor in Spotika who have pledged to pump Ksh. 60 million per year to the club after the general elections slated for August.Despite having a sponsor on board, Shikanda says the team has to start making its own money.”When Sportpesa left (in 2019) I realised that the team should be generating it’s own money, because we were in big trouble. We had to play for a season without a sponsor after which we decided to put a strategy in place to ensure that the club can sustain itself. It is something I intend to push on with in my second term,” he said.AFC Leopards’ elections will be conducted on June 26th.The current office bearers’ term is coming to an end.Secretary General Oliver Sikuku exits after serving for two terms. Chairman Dan Shikanda and treasurer Maurice Chichi are defending their seats.#FKFPL pic.twitter.com/VfkUJNSIRb— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) June 5, 2022 The former winger also spoke of his desire to ensure Leopards owns its stadium saying they have since recovered the 20-acre piece of land awarded to the team by former President Daniel Moi in Kasarani. He also wants to push for a mass recruitment drive.”We have our land back because we did a follow up on the same, friends came on board and helped us. We want to go on a recruitment drive of members, the target is at least 20,000 members, we want Leopards to have many registered members to steer the club forward.” Okumu’s Gent suffers heavy defeat as Nondi features in GeorgiaHe further promised to avail replicas to fans next season. Club supporters struggled to get replicas in the just concluded season as they were not available in the market.”We will have good replicas next season, it is an area that we let our fans down last season but we are going to do better on that front. We are going to have affordable replicas by the end of July, “he added.AFC Leopards will tomorrow go to the polls to elect a few office. Shikanda is facing a stiff competition from former club CEO Ronald Namai who is eyeing the chairman’s seat.
