THE Ghana Breweries Limited (GBL), the major sponsor of the domestic Premier League and FA Cup, has delcared its commitment to renewing its sponsorship agreement with the Ghana Football Association for the next five years.

This was stated by Mr Eson-Benjamin, Managing Director of GBL in a post-match interview during the ABC/FA Cup final at the Accra Stadium, which saw Accra Hearts of Oak beating Okwawu United 2-0 to complete the domestic double.

According to Mr Eson-Benjamin, the GBL will meet the GFA management board at its Achimota Brewery Factory today to negotiate the terms of the renewal of the sponsorship agreement.

He said the GBL intends meeting other stakeholders in the organisation of the premier league, such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Sports Council, GHALCA and the Media houses to dialogue on ways of making the competition more interesting and beneficial to all parties concerned.

“The GBL sees its involvement in the domestic league as a necessary contribution to the development of football, which is the passion of the nation. It is also from the premier league that stars of the nation emerge,” he stressed.

He noted that the new sponsorship package would not only see an increase in the sponsorship sum, but would also bring to the fore in the coming years creative promotions by GBL to get soccer fans back into the various stadia.

This, he said, would help reverse the distressing spectre of empty stands during most league matches.

Mr Eson-Benjamin, however, indicated that the ABC brand, which has shouldered the sponsorship of the premier league for the past five year will give way to the Star brand which, as an industry leader, is better resourced to shoulder the expected increase in sponsorhsip fee in the coming years.

The managing director wished double champions, Accra Hearts of Oak, every success in their continental clubs championship final clash with Esperance of Tunisia.

He was particularly happy that through the ABC premiership, his company has in a very direct way, contributed to the success of Hearts, who have won the league four times on the trot, while winning the knockout twice consecutively.

In response to those achievements, Mr Eson-Benjamin revealed tha the GBL will be playing host to Hearts at its Achimota Factory and present them with their package for lifting the ABC/FA Cup 2000.

Even though he did not touch on the sponsorship sum,it is being speculated that this year’s ?600m package will attract a 25 per cent increase, thereby bringing the amount closer to the ?1 billion mark per season.