Why Everton will not wear SportPesa jerseys this weekend
SportPesa has allowed Everton players to don a different logo on their jerseys during Sunday’s home game against West Ham United in the English Premier League.
The gaming firm has agreed to swap the club’s shirt sponsorship placement and replace it with their own ‘Kits for Africa’ kit donation campaign for Everton’s first fixture following the international break.
Normally, the Merseyside club’s players would wear jerseys with the SportPesa logo inscribed at the front in line with the sponsorship deal worth hundreds of millions of shillings each year.
The match between Everton and West Ham will be broadcast and watched by millions of football fans globally, and the switch in logo is intended to generate international awareness for the kit donation scheme which will be supporting underprivileged grassroots football across the African continent.
SportPesa and Everton have been collecting kits donated by fans, players and members of the public at home games during August and September and will distribute them throughout Africa to less privileged teams and individuals who have a love for playing the beautiful game.
BENEFICIARIES
Nairobi based Liberty FC, Mashimoni Sportiff, Gyff LC Laini Saba, Kajulu FC, River Plate FC Silanga, Shofco U20 FC and Gatwekera FC are some of the grassroots team to have benefitted from this initiative.
Sunday’s fixture against Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham is the last opportunity for fans to donate their kits at match days and Everton fans have been encouraged to bring old or unused kit to the ‘Kits For Africa’ collection bins situated at the Fan Zone in the Park End or in store at Everton One.
The collection bins will be manned by SportPesa staff, who will collect the donation kit ready for it to be distributed to those in need across Africa.
Any items of kit are accepted including shirts, boots, socks, shorts and any other sports apparel.
The generosity of Evertonians for last season’s campaign saw more than three tonnes of kit donated and distributed across Africa.
‘Kits For Africa’ (K4A) is part of SportPesa’s ongoing commitment to developing grassroots football in the countries where they operate and, since the company’s inception in 2014, they have quickly established themselves as a community focused organisation.