Ethiopia Buna Football Club and Eleibat Solutions launched an integrated sports platform to enable fans to self-register and manage other activities. The application which has four phases will be available online.
The application, Tifozo, will help Bunna fans to register their membership using their smartphones and pay fees in the 200 agent shops of Elibat.
The application which was enabled by Elibat will be facilitated by its agents around the country. The company has about 200 active agent shops which will increase to 2,000 in the coming month.
The fans, from all over the world, will be filling information in the application and can pay the registration and monthly fee in the agent shops.
The project exported data from the existing 18,000 members to a new database. The club also launched an electronic ID card for its fans. It will have a secret passcode that can’t be used by another person if it gets lost. The card will give various services in the future including stadium entrance.
“The inclusion of the electronic ID card will not incur any additional fee for its members,” said Netsanet Raya, CEO, and founder of Elibat.
In the first phase, the application will enable the purchase of any product by the club besides membership sign in.
“We were only able to sell our soccer jerseys and other kits representing our club in Addis Ababa, but this application will enable not only local fans but also those residing overseas to purchase online, “ said Surgeon Feqade Mamo a.k.a. Chento. “The project Elibat came up with, will make our club the wealthiest on the continent.”
According to research conducted by the developer, there are about 6million Buna sport club fans around the globe.
The application is going to be available in Dubai and the US after mid-September. They hope fans overseas will use it to buy the club’s products.
“Tifozo will be available in many other foreign courtiers after the pilot is over,” Netsanet told Capital.
The club which starts registering its fans before 33 years didn’t have enough fence to support its costs.
During the launching ceremony, six competitor clubs and the national team was invited to learn about the technology and to follow Bunna’s lead.
“In the 21st century it’s uncivilized to watch fans travel long kilometers to obtain service which they can get at hand,” said Fekade.
Ethiopia Bunna is among the five football clubs in Africa with a large number of fans.
The club which was transferred for the fans from the National Coffee Trading Corporation is mainly supported by the coffee exporters.
The system also considers those who didn’t use smart phones to call to the call center, 6061, and get the service or to know the location of the direction of agent hopes.
Netsanet revealed that there are ongoing deals with three banks to integrate the application with their system. After the financial integration is completed fans are expected to have their payments from their bank account, which is going to minimize the appearance at the shops.
“The Integration between the banks will be applicable within two months maximum,” said Netsanet.
It will turn the football industry to be more profitable and accessible which may also lead to the improvement.
The current reform in the telecom is also a surprise for us” said Nestanet. “The agents will give the service at a cheaper operational coast.”
Buna connects with fans using new app, call center
Ethiopian U-17 Red Foxes praised for success
A runner-up silver medal to go along with a top scorer’s Golden Ball and Best Goalie Golden Glove, Ethiopian U-17 National side famously nick named Red Foxes returned from AFCON U-17 2019 Qualification CECAFA Zone championship with a red carpet reception by Officials from the Ethiopian Football Federation and Football fans.
“Thanks to Head Coach Temesgen Dana and his assistant Derege Tesfaye because they allowed us to play freely and naturally. It is because of that we reached the cup final,” One of the players among the upcoming heroes told Capital Sport.
A 4-2 group stage thrashing followed by another thrilling 4-2 penalty shootout semifinal victory over Rwanda, the Red Foxes were hot favorites to take home the title as well becoming CECAFA representative in the Africa Nations U-17 Cup final. However Uganda determined to avenge the group stage defeat appeared in full throttle dominating the show from the start. The opening goal in the first quarter of an hour then two goals in the second half, things turned out too much for the Red Foxes although they scored a consolation goal in extra time. A 3-1 defeat Red Foxes missed a dream chance of a place in the Nations cup final yet achieved a great deal.
A proud runner-up with only one defeat in six matches conceding only four goals, amazing target man from Hawassa Mentesenot Endrias won the Golden Boot award finishing top scorer of the tournament with 8 goals while his team mate Alazar Markos who saved a penalty against group showdown against Uganda took home The Golden Glove for best goalie of the tourney.
After a festive dinner at Sky Hotel each of the players took home 5,000 Birr in prize money while Head Coach Temesgen Dana and assistant Derege Tesfaye pocketed 10,000 Birr each.
Premier League pre-season will kick off blindly
As it is customary recently, Ethiopian Premier League sides will soon to convene their pre-season preparation without the knowledge of the exact date of the new season kick-off. Dedebit FC submitted a letter to the Federation inquiring when the season opens. “We need to know the exact time the season fixture starts so that we plan out pre-season,” states the letter from Dedebit dated 27th August 2018.
EFF officials mainly the Organization Committee Head Colonel Awol Abdurakim should have the knowledge that unless an official date for the new season’s kickoff is known the clubs can’t plan their preseason preparation. A preseason preparation takes between five to six weeks and the fixtures then kick-off immediately. But EFF big guys appear to be oblivious about it including Technical Committee Chair Person Sewnet Bishaw who prefers silence to giving advice to those concerned.
Champions AbaJifar, runner-up Saint George, third and fourth place Ethiopia Bunna and Mekele are among the few that kicked-off their preseason as of mid-August. With the Super League just ended last Sunday the three new comers are to join the preseason party without rest and sure to be without steam to stand strong in the new season at the top tier. Add to that their lack of experience and second fiddlers in the squad; a nightmare of relegation is all the time to stick to their mind all through the season. “Here comes the problem when EFF is led by nonprofessionals and individuals without the hint of the sport,” former coach Yasin Belay suggested.
Dedebit’s letter requires an immediate response from the Ethiopian Football Federation otherwise the same story about spending lots of money on the preseason without a plan will occur. Last year the season kicked-off in the first week of October six weeks after the teams returned to base. Sewnet Bishaw needs to come forward and advise the Organization Committee.
Debub Police roars back to Ethiopian Premier League
After spending eight years in the woods, Debub Police FC has been promoted back to the Ethiopian Premier League after demolishing Diredawa Police in their final group B match. The final showdown for the Super League Cup between group winners Baherdar and Debub Police takes place today at Diredawa Stadium.
Their coach Girma Tadesse personally piped Hadiya-Hosana to the top tier. They also have Kenyan veteran striker Eric Muranda and Biruk Elias spearheading the strike force. Debub Police started slowly but gained momentum after every single showdown to finish on top of the 16 team table with 61 points from eighteen wins, seven draws and five defeats. Eric Muranda and Biruk Elias each hammered in 13 goals and attacking mid fielder Behailu Wegene bagged 11 goals to help Debub Police lead the league in goals at 59. They only gave up 23 goals which was third lowest next to Dilla and Halaba respectively. It was a tough time full of challenges but navigating through such hard times makes the joy all the more wild. I am not yet sure whether I will stay with the team at the Premier League. But still I am happy and grateful for my players that helped Debub Police to Promotion,” Head Coach Girma Tadesse remarked.
The club’s most senior player team skipper Binyam Berhanu told reporters that the big achievement is because of the team work and the home supporters standing behind the team throughout the season. “The next big challenge is about surviving the first Premier League season and I am sure the club will seriously think about it,” Binyam stated.
