The MTN FA Cup is more lucrative than the GPL- Kotoko Circles Chairman
The Ashanti regional Circles Chairman of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Benjamin Obeng -Sekyere says the MTN FA CUP is more lucrative and competitive than Ghana Premier League (GPL).
Mr Obeng -Sekyere was of the view that the MTN FA Cup winner is guaranteed Ghc 50,000 as prize money for winning the final, and the additional Ghc 100,000 as support money for their participation in the CAF Confederation Cup competition adding that the maximum number of matches a premier league team can play before winning the FA Cup is 6, and 7 games if the winner is a division one or division two club whiles the GPL Champions took a meagre $30,000.
On Sunday October 29, Kumasi Asante Kotoko claimed an impressive 3-1 victory over rivals Accra Hearts of Oak to lift their 9th FA Cup title at the Tamale Sports Stadium, largely thanks to the heroics of striker Sadick Adams, who scored a stunning first-half hat trick to set them on the way.
As Kotoko captain Amos Frimpong lifted the trophy aloft under the floodlights of the beautiful Tamale Stadium, FA Cup Committee Chairman Kurt Okraku, let out a big smile.
For the organizers of the competition, this was yet another beautiful end to the great story of the FA Cup competition which had been running since it was revamped in 2011.
Mr. Obeng -Sekyere who is in his second term as the Ashanti regional Circles Council Chairman for the Porcupine warriors in an interview with Otec Royal Sports’ Dominic Owusu-ansah (walasty) of observed that the MTN FA Cup competition has more publicity than the GPL adding that unlike the GPL, the FA cup has also recognized the important role that social media plays in today’s competitively challenging media landscape, and have tapped into it to their own benefit.
‘’The launch and draw for each round of the competition is very well patronized by the media, and they have contracted some media personnel with huge following on social media to send out tweets about the competition.’’ he stressed.
He opined that while the GPL has often been riddled with accusations of referee manipulation and bribery allegations, the FA Cup competition has managed to rid itself of such rhetoric, hence giving the competition more credibility.
Mr Obeng- Sekyere noted that the MTN FA Cup competition begins at the preliminary stage with 48 Division Two clubs, and 48 Division One clubs – that’s a whopping 96 clubs involved at that stage. The 48 qualified teams are then drawn against the 16 Premier league clubs for the round of 64; then round of 32; round of 16; all the way to the final which makes it more attractive.
Source: otecfmghana.com /Dominic Owusu-ansah(walasty)
