Chiefs News: Why a Women’s Team is Not on the Cards
Amid pressure, the Kaizer Chiefs marketing manager Jessica Motaung says they cannot have a women’s team because they need to lay a solid foundation first.
Motaung, who also serves as CAF’s Organising Committee for Women Football Standing Committee member, says they need many resources such as funding.
The seasoned football administrator, Motaung added that it is challenging to have a women’s team but they are working hard to establish one as Amakhosi.
Per SABC Sport, Motaung said they are sweating to speed up this process and also praised the formation of the Hollywoodbets Super League.
For now, the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns and TS Galaxy are the only professional clubs with women’s sides including Royal AM who bought Bloemfontein Celtic.
“It’s very challenging to have any club, whether it’s a men’s club or women’s club – or just a youth club,” said Motaung.
“You need the funding, you need the facilities, you need all sorts of things.
“I mean, if you look at the Hollywoodbets Super League, which I’m very proud of – I think it’s very good that we have a league like that.
“There just needs to be a structural change in that we need to be able to allow clubs – and I know Sundowns have also asked and really pushed – to have their own sponsors, we need boards to be able to let our sponsors advertise.
“These are challenges – it’s not just, you have a team and that’s it. You need the money to fund it and, to do that, sponsors need the exposure.
“So we are in discussions with SAFA to say, if we have a women’s team, how can we all work together to restructure this so that it’s a win-win for the teams, the sponsors that come in, and for the main sponsor that SAFA has as well.
“So, it’s a collaborative process, and I think we need to look at ourselves as an industry and say, ‘How do we modify this and make sure that it’s a win-win for everybody.”
In addition to her comments and update, Banyana Banyana legend Janine Van Wyk previously called on Soweto ginats, Chiefs and Orlando Pirates to also form women’s teams.
In her response, Motaung said they are engaged with different clubs to buy them including the JVW Ladies FC, which is co-owned by Van Wyk.
“We’ve also been talking with different teams to look at the opportunity of buying into a team, and that has its challenges as well,” Motaung explained.
“People are buying statuses and things like that, but we want to do things properly – and that’s something we’re looking at all the options to make sure we can make it happen.
“We did talk to them [JVW] about the opportunity, and it would have been lovely to partner with them, but unfortunately we didn’t agree on terms, and I don’t want to air discussions we’ve had in the media.
“All the best to Janine and the team, and I hope they continue doing well.”
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