After getting a new sponsorship boost worth Rwf237 million from Feza Bet, Rayon Sports president, Denis Gacinya has disclosed that their top target is to reach the group stages of 2018 CAF Champions League.

Rayon Sports signed a 4-year-sponsorship deal with the betting company last week. In the first year, the Azam Rwanda Premier League champions will get Rwf54 million, this will be followed by Rwf59m in the second year, Rwf61m in the third year and Rwf63 million in the 4th year.

Rayon Sports will also get a bonus of Rwf10million if they reach the group stages of the CAF Champions League while winning the local league and Peace Cup will earn them Rwf5m and Rwf2m bonus, respectively.

"With this sponsorship boost, our target is to reach the group stages at the CAF Champions League next year. It is a big boost for us because to play at the international level, you need to be reasonably fine financially,” Gacinya told Saturday Sport.

He added that the club is now in a far better position financially and hope that to start improving the players’ welfare, which would boost their morale and in turn raise the winning mentality.

As part of the deal, Rayon Sports will wear Feza Bet logo together with that of Skol that have also renewed the contract with the eight-time league champions until 2022. Skol will give Rayon Sports Rwf66m per year.

The legal affairs officer from Skol, Tite Gatabazi Rutikanga told Saturday Sport that they have no problem with Rayon Sports having another sponsor.

"What we asked them is not to have a sponsor who has the same products like us. Otherwise they can have as many,” Gatabazi said.

Feza bet Media Officer and Product Manager, Henry Muhire, said they plan to sponsor other teams, and they have chosen Rayon Sports because of the club’s status.

"It is important for our team and for the sponsors because they are associating with a club that is very popular. Associating with us will definitely help them to penetrate the ever growing market,” Gacinya explained.

Feza bet is the second sponsor for Rayon Sports while Skol are the club’s main sponsors. However, Feza are also the main sponsors of another league side, Etincelles FC.

In the new CAF club competitions format, winners of both the preliminary round and round of 16 will after drawing of lots, be placed into four groups of four teams each in both Champions League and Confederation Cup.

After a round-robin of matches (home and away), the first two of each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, which opens a new phase of knockout matches till the final.

In the CAF Champions League, the winner will pocket US$2.5million, first runner-up $1.25m, while the semi-finalists will pocket $875,000 and quarter-finalists will bag $650,000. Clubs which will finish third and fourth in the group, will each get $550,000.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw