Ghana Premier League on the verge of a $44m sponsorship deal?

The Ghana Premier League could benefit from a mega sponsorship deal that could rake in a whopping $44 million over a 12-year period.

The deal, which is being brokered by Sports Cul Ghana Limited, will see its Turkish partners fund the payment of salaries for players, coaches and backroom staff of the clubs.

Already the organisation has commenced negotiation with some clubs and, according to Emmanuel Asante, a director of Sports Cul Ghana, the firm was exploring a situation where each Premier League player would receive a minimum wage of GH¢2,000 each month.

He was, however, coy over the benefits the organisation would reap from the novel sponsorship arrangement, but told Graphic Sports an initial three-year deal would be signed in February and, depending on how well the fans behaved, as well as the progress of the competition, they would extend it to a 12-year period.

Others who could benefit from the deal, according to Mr Asante, are coaches, who are expected to receive between ¢5,000 and¢10,000 a month depending on their qualification and licence class.

The package also covers the remuneration of referees with an amount of GH¢3,000 to be paid to each official while clubs who qualify to participate in the continental club competitions would be supported with $400,000.

Additionally, the deal will make financial support of GH¢50,000 to clubs to held upgrade their training pitches after an assessment of facilities available to the clubs.

For the Division One clubs, Mr Asante said the playing body would receive half of the amount Premier League clubs will enjoy while special packages would be made available to the Women League (GH¢5,250,000) and Beach Soccer League (GH¢5,250,000).

He gave the breakdown of the package as Premier League clubs (GH¢13,125,000), Division One League (GH¢15,750,000), Women's League (GH¢5,250,000), Beach Soccer League (¢5,250,000) referees (GH¢3,375,000).

Apart from that, the Premier League champions would walk home with a mouth-watering package of GH¢1,200,000, while similar rewards await winners of the Women’s League and beach soccer.