As per the renewed agreement, Samsung will provide the club an annual sum of Rs 1.8 million for three years while the club will be renamed as Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club. [break]
Additionally, the club will carry the Samsung logo on jerseys and kits while Samsung will provide Rs 1.6 million cash and Samsung products worth Rs 200,000 to the club every year.
Jawalakhel President Sunil SJB Rana and HIM Electronics Managing Director Shekhar Golchha signed the Memorandum of Understanding.
Jawalakhel and Samsung had signed their first sponsorship deal in 2006 for five years, when the sponsorship amount was just Rs 800,000.
The new deal is the biggest sponsorship deal between a private company and a football club in the country.
Last year, Three Star Club and Mega Bank had signed a ´strategic alliance´ deal of record amount of Rs 1.765 million.
According to Golchha, Samsung was delighted with the previous alliance with Jawalakhel. "From commercial point of view, we could not get expect mileage in last five years but from CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) point of view, we are happy to see Jawalakhel achieving success on football ground," said Golchha. "We are happy with our decision to renew the sponsorship contract as Jawalakhel is scaling new heights in Nepali football," he added.
Golchha said that clubs and association have to join hands with corporate sector to develop the game. "If we want to develop sports, we should assure players that their life is secured. This sense of security could be developed, if clubs and association join hands with more and more corporate houses," said Golchha.
All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) President Ganesh Thapa said that the involvement of corporate houses have brought about a radical changes in Nepali football. "It´s too difficult for clubs to survive on the top-tier as a club has to spend millions of rupees in a season," said Thapa. "However, the survival is possible if all of us--the association, clubs and sponsors--work together for the betterment," he added.
"Initially private clubs were afraid of departmental teams and raised questions about their survival but now they are giving a tough fight to the departmental teams," said Thapa.
Jawalakhel Youth Club President Rana and General Secretary Mahendra Chhetri both said that the club would continue to impress its fans and sponsors in the years to come. Meanwhile, HIM Electronics MD Golchha replied that Samsung wants to develop a cordial relation with the club and hopes to extend the contract in future.
Export Manager of Samsung´s South West Asia Regional Office, AC Patrick, was also present at the signing ceremony.
JYC president Sunil SJB Rana (L) and HIM Electronics Managing Director Shekhar Golchha during the sponsorship deal signing ceremony at Hotel Annapurna, Durbarmarg, Kathmandu. (Photo: Republica)
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