Taiwo Atieno: American investors ready to pump Ksh 236 Million into KPL
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 07.07.22. | 19:56
The former Harambee Stars forward was appointed as KPL’s Commercial Director late last year
The Kenyan Premier League (KPL) Limited is set to unveil a five-year strategic plan in the coming weeks, Taiwo Atieno has revealed.
The document will clearly outline what the organization, which was previously running Kenya’s top league, aims to achieve and do in the next half decade. The four key pillars in the strategic plan are;
1. The formation of the KPL Primary/Secondary League
This will ideally be the KPL Youth League according to Taiwo. KPL will partner with schools to ensure kids are trained the right way and also for talent identification and nurturing.
“I have been privileged to play football in the developed world and also networked with people are into professional football. The youth are the core of any successful football country and we therefore have to train them the right way,” Taiwo said,
“We want to to infuse the Dutch philosophy of football with the Brazilian Futsal at this level and we are talking to the right people to ensure this happens. For instance, I am already in touch with Edgar Davids to come on board as board member of the KPL,” he added.
2. The KPL Football Business Academy
This will be an institution of Higher Learning set up by KPL Ltd to train football administrators and whoever else is interested in the business of football.
“In partnership with a leading global sports management training institute, we will curate courses that will train our people on how to run football teams and also offer other related courses. I believe this will be very key in transforming football in Kenya." he said.
PRESS STATEMENT
— KPL (@TheOfficialKPL) November 11, 2021
Kenyan Premier League appoints Taiwo Otieno as Commercial Director pic.twitter.com/PZqGssknZO
3. Incorporation of KPL Clubs as Limited Companies
According to Taiwo, most football teams in Kenya are set up for failure since they are not incorporated as limited companies and therefore cannot attract any serious investors. He says the legislation needs to change.
“The Sports Act 2013 is not the best guiding document to transform sports in this country in my opinion. For instance, I don’t understand why we cannot register football teams as limited companies. Its absurd. In the developed world clubs are listed in the stock exchange, they operate as legal entitities and there are a myriad benefit to that,” Taiwo says,
“I acquired Migori Football Club two years ago and to date I am still yet to get my certification due to the red tape involved since I want it to be a limited company. We will never attract serious investors and corporates into club football if this doesn’t change,” he added.
4. Multisport
Taiwo also says KPL Ltd will be focused on empowering the clubs to venture into other sports as well.
“Look at Barcelona for instance. They are not just a football club. They have basketball and other sports as well and that is a very good business model that we can replicate in Kenya." Taiwo says.
To achieve all this, Taiwo claims there are American investors who have pumped in USD 2 Million (approximately Ksh 236 Million in current rates) into Kenya Premier League Ltd to jump start the operations.
The company was previously contracted to run the top-tier but the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) opted not renew the contract and rebranded the league into FKFPL.
Taiwo says the Kenya Premier League Ltd will work with the teams that are ready and willing to be in professionally run league and he is also envisioning the formation of strong youth teams in every county in Kenya.
