Safari Sevens Gets Bigger

With the yesterday's announcements of the increased sponsorship from Tusker of Ksh. 24M and the confirmation that Fiji will grace this years event, the 2008 Tusker Safari Sevens will surely be the biggest ever. That Tusker have declared that they will pay Ksh. 18M of this directly to the KRFU should be music to KRFU's ears. In an earlier post, I had queried the role of sponsors in African Sports and I was inconclusive in that post. With this announcement it is no clearer in my mind.

It is a known fact, the Tusker Safari Sevens is one of the biggest parties of the year. It is the only time over 10,000 people cram the tiny RFUEA ground to witness the rising global spectacle that is seven a side rugby. The immense sponsorship from Tusker ensures that everything will be in place and no corners cut in ensuring a successful event. The presence of Fiji will in turn draw other world class teams to ensure the quality of play matches the status of the tournament, as the "finest sevens tournament outside of the IRB circuit". And to me that is where it all ends. Three days of thrilling and exhilarating fun and in the end, we go back to what we do for the other 52 weeks of the year.

For the KRFU or Tusker for that matter to spend that amount of money over three days would imply that we are pretty well covered in everything else. We have properly run age grade programmes, our women's rugby is up to par with other countries in Africa and we have a well thought out talent identification and nurturing programme. We also have a properly managed youth academy with qualified personnel running it. When you imagine that the Kenya players do not even get paid to take part in "their own party", I find that amazing. Not once have we been faced with an imminent boycott by the players. Not once has the national team been told, the week after the Safari Sevens, that there is no money for their allowances. Surely I ask...