Story by Lawrence Trusida
THE Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has moved in to find local designers for national team kits after launching the ‘Warrior Pride’ competition this Thursday at the association’s offices in Harare.
The localisation of the Warriors brand will see a competition running for designers to put in a kit design and a logo for the national team.
The hunt for local design is a commercialisation move which the new administration believes will be viable for the national association.
“This is not just about national pride, but a commercial move. If we manage to produce our own kits and sell for US$20 and if we sell three million kits per year, that is US$60 million and imagine what that can do for football in Zimbabwe. So this is a move to try and unlock the value of the Warriors brand and increase revenue generation,” ZIFA president, Nqobile Magwizi said.
The winner is expected to produce three designs for the home, away and alternative match-day kits as well as a logo for the Warriors.
Zimbabwe is not the first country to go this route as Zambia, Malawi and Uganda among others, have designed their own brands and are no longer buying kits.
Zimbabwe is currently using the Puma kit which is purchased at a substantive cost and the replicas are beyond the reach of many as it costs at least US$45.
