THE Premier League Management Committee (PLMC) and Vodacom Lesotho (VCL) have concluded a deal that will see the mobile communications company replace its arch rival Econet as the new sponsor of the Lesotho Premier League, according to sources close to two entities.

VCL is no stranger to sponsoring the league having come on board in 2009, but it lost the competition to Econet in 2017, with the latter tabling a historic M2 million sponsorship, in which the league winners pocketed M500 000.

The communication giant also sponsored a cup competition dubbed the Vodacom Spectacular, which lasted for three years from 2008 to 2011 and featured Premier League and A Division clubs.

According to PLMC publicist Qamako Mahao, the new sponsorship from the mobile communications company is worth M8.5 million, but the two parties are yet to conclude the breakdown of prize monies that will be going to the 16 premier league teams.

“Negotiations between the two parties have been ongoing for months now and the deal has been sealed. All that is left is the official unveil, which will take place very soon,” he said.

“It’s a bumper deal for our football, which will surely take the standard to another level in the next few years.”

He showed that the sponsorship package comprises M2.5 million during the first season, M2.8 million in the second season and M3.2 million during the third year which all amount to M8.5 million.

“Vodacom sponsorship is expected to increase on a yearly basis in these three years. We have been attracted by several aspects of the new deal. First was the sponsorship package itself and the other thing is that Vodacom has promised to broadcast our league matches live on social media platforms,” he said.