The Kenyan Premier League and Spain’s top league, the LaLiga, on Thursday in Nairobi signed a three years partnership deal.
In the deal LaLiga envisages a well managed Kenyan top flight league and its clubs so that they can be able to grow in revenue and stature.
Among other things, La Liga will share their expertise in professional football management, set up match analysis centres, offer live screening of key La Liga games for the fans, co-ordinate off season football tournaments, facilitate annual capacity building tours for Kenyan clubs, coaches, players, and also involve a Kenyan players in regular exchange programs with their counterparts from Spain.
“The impact of La Liga’s presence in Kenya will be felt across all levels, since, through the enhancement of their popularity in Kenya, LaLiga will provide capacity building support which will benefit clubs, players, coaches, medical personnel, club owners and club administrators, and the community,” KPL chairman Ambrose Rachier said during the partnership unveiling ceremony.
He added: “LaLiga’s operations in Kenya will see the Kenyan Premier League and Clubs exposed and accustomed to the latest trends in modern professional football management, marketing, communication, match analysis tools and software, player health and safety, evolutionary coaching and player development techniques, among other benefits.
“To achieve this, LaLiga will plan annual capacity building tours for KPL Executives and KPL Club administrators to visit LaLiga clubs so as to learn and experience firsthand how they operate. LaLiga will also set up a Match Analysis Centre and organize seminars for KPL Club coaches and medical personnel.
“Further, LaLiga will facilitate a Kenyan All-Star team to travel to Spain and play matches against LaLiga clubs during off season or any agreeable time. The All-Star team and technical staff will also get to attend seminars on technical and tactical training.”
LaLiga president Javier Tebas said that helping the KPL and its clubs improve their managerial skills is key on their agenda, as it is the only way that the local league can be able to grow.
“We intend to share our experience with the local league management in terms of managerial expertise by ensuring that the top flight league and its clubs are managed better. It is only through good governance of the league that good revenue can be realized,” he Spanish league boss said.
“We also plan to share modern scientific methods that will help with the professional management of the league. We shall equip relevant committees with knowledge about player and health and safety and ensure coaches are updated on the developing coaching and player development techniques that we use,” he said.
In attendance at the signing ceremony were league title sponsors SportPesa chief executive officer Ronald Karauri and the Spanish Ambassador to Kenya Javier García de Viedma Bernaldo de Quirós.
The Kenyan Premier League and LaLiga are members of World League Forum, whose membership is open to top tier national leagues that have a legal structure and statutes of their own.
The forum seeks to develop modern, effective governance structures within world football that respect football national bodies’ role and recognise the role professional leagues and their member clubs can play, and to foster co-operation between members amongst other objectives.
