Homeboyz, Kenya Rugby League sign grand marketing deal

Kenya Rugby League Federation (KRLF) and Homeboyz Entertainment Limited have entered into a 10-year commercial and strategic partnership that will see the entertainment firm bring on board Sh100 million annually starting next year.

However, Homeboyz Entertainment Limited Chief Executive Officer Mike Rabar said they have forked out Sh20 million in view of keeping KRLF activities afloat during this Covid-19 pandemic period.

Rabar penned the deal with KRLF chairman Richard Nyakwaka Friday at Capital Club East Africa in Nairobi, in a ceremony attended by KRLF director of sponsorship and commercials Charles Cardovillis, technical director Benjamin Ayimba and director for growth and development John Mbai.

Rabar said they will assist KRLF conduct reviews of commercial operations in view of raising Sh100 million starting 2021 through sponsorship, consumer driven revenue, licensing, events organisation, branding, marketing and media.

Rabar said while Homeboyz will focus on commercials, KRLF will concentrate on technical aspects of running the leagues, which involve player development and officials training.

“Our partnership is built on shared values in the sporting arena and our dream to make sports a viable entity that can be self-sustaining by employing working businesses performance models,” said Rabar adding that after generating Sh100 million annually they will list KRLF on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Homeboyz partnership with KRLF will definitely ruffle some feathers with Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) with players from the union side likely to cross over.

Moreso, besides having a team in KRU’s Kenya Cup League, Homeboyz have been sponsors of schools’ Prescott Cup championship.

However, Rabar hastened that there will be no conflict of interests and that he will continue to have a team in Kenya Cup, the rugby union version of play as well us sponsor other activities.

“Let us develop rugby from all fronts,” said Rabar.

Nyakwaka said the 10-year deal will provide stability and sustainable growth that will help KRLF Premier League to develop world class rugby players.

“The strategy is to develop our Premier League into fully professional domestic league in future and attract players from all over the world,” said Nyakwaka adding that over the last two moths, they have embarked on setting up structures that will create a firm foundation for their Premier League kick-off.

Ayimba disclosed that they are ready to roll out the Premier League that will be staged in a Franchise format of six teams and the normal league that will have eight teams.

“The Premier League will have our top 150 players distributed evenly to the six teams that will engage in a four-month league that will have matches played at a central venue,” said Ayimba adding that they will prefer staging the matches on Friday and Saturday evening under floodlights.