DYNAMOS’ principal sponsors, BancABC, might have won a big turf battle at the weekend, but they are set to have a taste of that bitter medicine should the Glamour Boys qualify for the group stages of the Champions League this season.

BancABC successfully enforced their rights for Dynamos to use a kit, which displayed the bank’s name and logo on the front part of the jerseys during the NetOne Charity Shield final at the National Sports Stadium.

NetOne had agreed with the PSL management, as part of the deal for the Charity Shield sponsorship, that the participating clubs would wear kits that carried the name and logo of the telecommunications company on the front part of their jerseys.

But things took a nasty twist at the weekend when BancABC ordered Dynamos to only use a kit, which bore the name of the bank and their logo on the front part of their jerseys, in the NetOne Charity Shield final or risk having their sponsorship package with the bank terminated.

BancABC foot the salary bill for Dynamos players and technical staff, provide transport for the Glamour Boys, host their end-of-season awards ceremony and, crucially, are now bankrolling the Harare giants’ campaign in the Champions League.

Faced with the possibility of losing all that, Dynamos officials advised the PSL management they either had to play in the NetOne Charity Shield using their branded BancABC kit or pull out of the game.

After a flurry of meetings in the capital, with the match at one stage set to be called off, NetOne agreed to a compromise and allowed Dynamos to use their BancABC branded kit for the match although the Glamour Boys’ technical staff wore NetOne branded apparel.

Yesterday, it emerged that while BancABC might have been successful in enforcing their rights at the weekend and won a big boardroom battle, they will feel the same bite should Dynamos qualify for the group stages of the Champions League.

While DeMbare will be able to use their BancABC branded kits in the first round, which starts this coming weekend, and in the second round, should they proceed, the kit would be outlawed by Caf should they make it to the group stages of the tournament.

The first and second round stages of the Champions League are not covered by the television rights deal in place right now and Caf are not as strict, during these stages, as they are when teams get into the group stages that fall under the television rights deal.

Given that BancABC are a financial services company, the appearance of their name or logo on the Dynamos kit, be it warm-up kit, playing kit or the one worn on the bench — will be in contravention of Caf regulations governing the Champions League.

Caf have already sent out correspondence to the participating associations in this year’s Champions League advising them of the sponsors who would be outlawed should their representatives reach the group stages of the tourney.

Given that Standard Bank are Caf’s sponsors in the Champions League, Dynamos will not be able to use their kits with the BancABC name and logo on any part of their jerseys because of conflict of interest between the two parties’ sponsors.

Felix Sapao, the Malawian sports consultant who handles such issues on behalf of Sportfive during Champions League matches in Zimbabwe, Zambia, DR Congo, Mozambique and Malawi, confirmed yesterday that the BancABC-branded kit will not be allowed for the group stages.

“We have already sent out letters giving details on what is allowed and what isn’t and BancABC, obviously, are in direct competition with Standard Bank who are the Caf sponsors and Dynamos cannot use their branded kit in the group stages,” said Sapao.

“Zanaco’s main sponsor, the Zambia National Commercial Bank and TP Mazembe’s sponsor, TMB Bank, were not allowed to display their names and logos on the teams’ kits because they are banks providing the same services as Standard Bank.

“Any other sponsors in the telecommunications business will also not be allowed because Caf have an agreement with their principal sponsor, Orange, who are in the same business. Pepsi is also the Caf sponsor and you will note that soft drinks, juices and branded water of companies which are in direct competition with Pepsi, will not be allowed to be used by the teams.”

Sapao said the best way to resolve the dispute that erupted at the weekend between NetOne and BancABC could have been to have the names and logos of both companies on the front parts of the Dynamos jersey.

“I didn’t see a problem of both BancABC and NetOne having their advertising brands in front because the two companies are not in conflict in their business activities,” said Sapao.

“If you look at the jersey that was used by Esperance you will see that it has two sponsors on the front part and that could have been a way out of the crisis that was in Zimbabwe at the weekend.

“All the marketing rights for the club are with the club and BancABC, as the principal sponsors, signed a contract with Dynamos.

“But in most African countries, sponsors, leagues and clubs turn to override the clubs’ rights by imposing a ‘take it or don't get involved’ situation with regards the clubs’ marketing rights and use of the front shirt sponsorship.

“It is important for all club sponsorship agreements and contract copies to be lodged with the mother body (Zifa) and with the PSL, so that the tournament organisers know in advance what they are getting into.”