Women rugby clubs at crossroads

However, the temporary halt has also reignited discussions on deeper issues affecting women’s rugby in Uganda.

Financial crisis

The crisis escalated into the public domain a fortnight ago when Uganda Cup holders Nile Rapids were forced to forfeit their Women’s Day fixture against Thunderbirds after their administrators announced that they could not afford to transport them to Kyadondo. 

The situation caused a stir in the rugby fraternity but it was only a sign of the deeper issues.

Shortly after, all but one women’s club (Thunderbirds) called for urgent support to honor their respective fixtures on a day dedicated to celebrating women. To fulfill just three league matches, the five teams required approximately Shs5.2m to cover transport, transport refund for players, meals, medical expenses, mandatory ambulances and pitch preparations.

Elgon Wolves needed Shs675,000 to host Black Pearls, who were short by Shs1.6m; Ewes required Shs722,000 to play Avengers, who needed Shs1m for the away fixture. Although two games proceeded, Nile Rapids’ match was canceled after they fell Shs1m short after raising only Shs200,000.

Last week, a similar situation unfolded when She-Wolves initially declared they could not travel for their match against Panthers. A last-minute intervention helped them reach Legends but their opponents failed to show up due to a communication mix-up.

The financial struggles have left many teams questioning their ability to complete the league.

"Five out of the seven teams in the women’s rugby league aren’t sure if they’ll be able to finish the season. Struggling with finances isn’t unique to the women, but our situation is dire," Black Pearls head coach and women’s rugby advocate Hellen Buteme sounded an alarm.

Union’s standpoint

URU has so far disbursed Shs4m in two equal batches to women’s teams for this season, a figure that includes a six percent tax deduction. However, Buteme argues that teams were not informed whether they would receive additional support.

"They told us that money was to kick-start the league, but we weren’t told what exactly it was meant for. When we inquired about more funding, we were told it was part of the contribution but with no clear timeline for further disbursements," she explained.

URU chief executive officer Isaac Lutwaama defended the union’s financial support while emphasizing that the funding provided this season exceeded last year’s subsidy.

"Last year, we gave women’s teams travel subsidies to help with logistics. This year, we have provided Shs4m which is more than what we gave last year. The fixtures haven’t changed, so I’m not sure why the burden is now being placed entirely on the union,” he said in a recent media interview.

“These teams enter these competitions knowing that they’re partly sponsored [not fully]. We’re not trying to be hard on them but we have given out a subsidy beforehand but if there are challenges that fixture jam is too high, we can discuss that.

“We are operating within our best capabilities unless we secure additional sponsorship," he stated.

Unfair allocation?

Concerns about funding disparities have been another talking point within women’s rugby. URU and Nile Breweries signed a Shs9.8b sponsorship deal in May 2022, which was renewed until the end of the season with a ten percent increase reported. 

Initially, Shs2.68b was allocated to the elite league and championship but it remains unclear how much was specifically set aside for women’s rugby premiership.

Reports indicate that men’s teams received Shs10m in the first half of the season compared to Shs4m allocated to the women. A member of the Hippos team which also manages Nile Rapids questioned the logic behind this allocation.

"Women and men’s teams play almost the same number of games, travel to the same venues including upcountry and have almost the same budget. It doesn’t make sense for one category to receive Shs10m and the other only Shs4m," they argued.

For context, the men’s league has 12 teams while the women’s league has seven. The men play a one-leg league format that climaxes in playoffs while the women play a round-robin format. At the end of the season, the men’s league finalists will have played a maximum of 16 matches while those involved in relegation playoffs will have played 15. Women’s teams on the other hand, will play a maximum of 12 matches.

Buteme believes this difference does not justify the funding gap.

"If you look at the costs involved, the difference is very minimal. It’s hard to explain why there’s such a significant funding disparity," she said.

Ownership, sustainability

The debate whether a men’s team should own or be attached to a women’s team has been a point of contention but from the look of things, the proposals have been welcomed but the economic part fails the marriages.

During Jinja Hippos’ extraordinary general meeting earlier this year, Nile Rapids captain and Uganda Lady Cranes 7s star Tina Akello raised concerns about the lack of balance in support between Hippos and Rapids.

"Something concerning us is that there’s so much focus on the Hippos than the Rapids, yet we both play in the top flight," she said.

Hippos’ technical director Tim Grover responded with a frank but piercing assessment.

"We’ll continue supporting the girls but the fact is that worldwide, the women’s game is struggling and not making money, even in gate collections. We aren’t getting any sponsorships for the women’s team, but we try to balance," he explained.

There have been whispers in Jinja that Hippos might split from Rapids to allow the women’s team to manage its affairs independently. A similar move was made by Black Pearls, who previously had ties to Pirates but now operate separately though they still share resources and facilities at Kings Park Arena.

Currently, Thunderbirds are not directly affiliated with a male team but enjoy the benefits of being part of a resourceful Kyadondo Club. Panthers are linked to Kobs, who are also struggling with funding but the ladies' team benefits from the generous deep pockets around Legends. Ewes are affiliated to Rams but with the latter relegated last season, there’s no money from sales and the gates.

Most women’s matches are played in empty stadiums, with even curtain-raiser games for men’s fixtures struggling to draw crowds.

Looking for Solutions

Women’s rugby representative on the URU executive committee Prossy Pearce Nakakande acknowledges the financial challenges and attributes them to over-reliance on a single sponsor. However, she believes clubs must take initiative as well.

"We’re trying to sensitize teams to improve their governance structures and generate their resources for basic requirements. Clubs need to build their financial bases," Nakakande said.

She also noted that URU had developed a strategy to improve visibility.

"We introduced scheduling changes where women’s games are played between or after men’s fixtures to tap into the existing audience. This has helped in some ways," she added.

However, Buteme argues that URU has failed to consult stakeholders when making key decisions about women’s rugby.

"I think URU doesn’t consult stakeholders in the women’s game; they just make decisions and move on. Some of the decisions they make suit men’s rugby but not women’s," she said.