It’s almost a year since Kampani’s Eagles Rugby Club embarked on their maiden top-flight campaign in Ugandan rugby.
Their 2023-24 season can be summarised as largely successful. Eagles came close to qualifying for the knockout round of the 2023 Uganda Cup after shocking Black Pirates in the pool phase, survived the cut in the 2024 Nile Special Rugby Championship on the final matchday, and earned core status for the 2025 national 7s series.
But like a duck gliding effortlessly on the surface of a pond while it paddles its feet aggressively under the water, it has been far from smooth. Their head coach Edmond Tumusiime had to take leave from the sport early on, their home ground at Kitante Primary School was barely playable, and pockets insatiably ran dry.
Credit: John Batanudde
To reinforce their nest amidst preparations for the upcoming 2024-25 season, Eagles have embarked on upgrading their playing surface at Kitante and boosting their finances.
One of the new strategies to raise funds is through the ‘Eagles Discount Card’ where cardholders will receive discounts of up to twenty per cent on services from eighteen brands spread around the city. This is to supplement the sponsors’ funds, season tickets, and merchandise sales.
“Eagles has opted for this financial model because, first of all, the club is young and we are still finding it hard to bring in sponsors with heavy financial backing and yet the club has to continue operating,” club chairperson Adam Kabalega said to Kawowo Sports.
Kabalega added that Eagles, only just four years in existence, is wooing more organisations and brands by “trying to bring clients to them through our card” with hopes of converting them into sponsors.
The brands include Chint Electronics Uganda, Spot Clean Dry Cleaners, Cuvotam Studios, Alexandra Medical Center, Roswell Women & Children’s Hospital, Holistic Physiocare & Sports Rehab, Kenya Airways, World Navi, Banana Phone World, Tipsy Food House, The Terrace Cocktail and Tapas Bar, Millennium Optics, Alaia Hair & Beauty, Refine Skin & Body Care Center, Protea Hotel and Skyz Gym Naguru, and Eagles’ title sponsor Kampani’s Shoes and Bags Clinic.
The new Eagles Discount Card Credit: Kampani’s Eagles Rugby Club
The discount card will cost UGX 100,000 (one hundred thousand Uganda shillings). Earnings from this discount card will be used to cover Eagles’ operational expenses and to support underprivileged children studying at Kitante Primary School.
Eagles will begin their 2024-25 campaign with a visit to Black Pirates’ Kings Park on Saturday, November 23 in the first round of the Uganda Cup.
The post Kitante Eagles Rugby Club takes innovative approach to fundraising with discount card appeared first on Kawowo Sports.
