The National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) President, His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah (C), national football coach Kwon Oh-son (L) and members of the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy national team donning their new jerseys at the NFABD House in Berakas yesterday. NFABD has obtained a three-year sponsorship deal with Sport Partnership Pte Ltd, the Singapore and Brunei licensee and distributor of Italian sporting goods brand Lotto. BT/Yusri Adanan
National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam President His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah (C) looks on as NFABD Vice-President Pehin Datu Indera Sugara Brigadier General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Hj Mohammad Yusof Abu Bakar (L) and Sport Partnership Pte Ltd General Manager Johar Jasman exchange sponsorship agreements at NFABD House in Berakas. The Singapore and Brunei licensee and distributor of Italian sporting goods brand Lotto, Sport Partnership Pte Ltd have agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with NFABD. BT/Yusri Adanan
National coach Kwon Oh-son during a press conference at the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup qualifiers in Myanmar. BT file
The national football team received a timely boost ahead of next month's 5th Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy (HBT) after the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Sport Partnership Pte Ltd yesterday.
Sport Partnership Pte Ltd is the Singapore and Brunei licensee and distributor of Italian sportswear manufacturer Lotto, and they are set to provide NFABD with attire and equipment for national and junior team players and officials not exceeding the amount of $50,000 per year.
Present as guest of honour at the event was NFABD President His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah and his son YAM Pg Muda 'Abdul 'Aleem.
Also present at the Multipurpose Hall of the NFABD House in Berakas for the ceremony was the Minister of Culture Youth and Sports Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Hj Hazair Hj Abdullah and other officials from the ministry and NFABD.
"This is good news for the players and they were happy when they heard about it," said national coach Kwon Oh-son in an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday. "Lotto is a well known brand and the quality of their equipment is very good. I am very grateful for the support," added the South Korean.
National youth team goalkeeper Mohd Fakhrul Zulhazmi Yussof was equally impressed with the sponsored equipment. "It feels very comfortable and the material of the jersey is quite good - and we are very happy with the sponsor," said the 23-year-old. "This is our first time trying out the jersey so we have not tested it for matches," he added.
Signing on behalf of NFABD was its Vice-President Pehin Datu Indera Sugara Brigadier General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Hj Mohammad Yusof Abu Bakar, while representing Sport Partnership Pte Ltd was its General Manager, Johar Jasman.
"I would like to note that this sponsorship is well-timed as the apparel will be worn by our national team for the HBT tournament next month," said Pehin Datu Indera Sugara Brigadier General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Hj Mohammad Yusof in a speech.
"I also hope that today will mark the beginning of what we hope will be long-term cooperation and commitment between the company and NFABD," he added.
Also under the agreement, Sport Partnership Pte Ltd will at its own cost provide NFABD with negative photographic prints or camera-ready artwork of the company's logo, and information about the correct use of the logo, in respect to the display of the company's logo in accordance to their rights.
The company also agreed to sell to NFABD other products bearing Lotto trademark at a purchase price after 50 per cent discount. Meanwhile, NFABD agreed to purchase from the company products bearing the Lotto trademark at a minimum amount of $15,000 per year, and they have also agreed to not to engage in anything that is prejudicial to the good image of the company.
NFABD is also to notify the company insofar as possible the dates and times of matches to be held in the football season, and they also need to let the company be aware of any rules and regulations imposed by authorities that could affect the grant of sponsorship rights.
According to its website, major sponsorships "have always been the keystones to success stories Lotto's history". This tradition continues today with footballers such as World Cup winner Joan Capdevila and Luca Toni.
Among the more well-known football clubs it sponsors include Genoa in Italy, Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany, Queens Park Rangers in England and Sochaux in France - as well as the Panama and Costa Rica national teams and many others around the world.
Lotto has also been present in tennis since 1973, sponsoring players such as Boris Becker and Martina Navratilova.
