A new show featuring the business ventures of former Kaizer Chiefs footballers Siphiwe Tshabalala, Itumeleng Khune, George Lebese, Lehlohonolo Majoro, Reneilwe Letsholonyane, and Thuso Phala is set to air this weekend.
The show titled Off Pitch Goals aims to demonstrate that some footballers invest wisely for life after football.
It captures the opportunities that involvement in football creates and seeks to inspire modern footballers to tap into these opportunities while they are still at their peak.
Produced by Football Conversations, the show will premiere on SABC Sports on June 14th at 8:30 PM.
Bandile Roro and Tiisetso Mofokeng co-direct the programme, which will showcase the operations behind running a business and feature experts who enhance the ideas contributed by these former football stars in their business endeavours.
BANDILE RORO ON OFF THE PITCH
“We’ve discovered that most athletes retire as paupers, and some have no investment or financial plan that sustains them after they hang up their boots,” Roro told FARPost.
“We saw a pandemic in that, and it’s growing. We felt the need to create the show, shoot a pilot, and approach potential partners. That’s the main reason. We wanted to end the scourge of footballers retiring as paupers.”
Roro believes that the show will inspire the current generation of football stars to start investing while still playing. Cape Town City FC star Luyolo Slatsha has already made strides in this area by investing in the property business, where he operates two student accommodation facilities in KwaZulu-Natal. “If they see it on TV, it’s easy for them to embark on the journey while still playing.”
The first episode will explore Phala’s entrepreneurial journey, who is in the property market. The former Chiefs, SuperSport United, and Mamelodi Sundowns winger, Phala, shares his insights. The second episode highlights Letsholonyane and Tshabalala, who are the proud owners of a nightclub.
Roro mentioned that their greatest challenge was persuading former footballers to share insights about their businesses. He noted that they began filming in 2021 and secured airplay in 2022. However, it took an additional three years to finalise the show for television.
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