Kathmandu valley and most parts of Nepal are under strict prohibitory orders in an effort to break the chain of Covid-19 infections. Amid this gloom, the entertainment provided by the Nepal Super League (NSL) being held at the Dasharath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu is offering Nepalis much-needed respite. The newly established franchise football league, organized by Nepal Sports and Event Management (NSEM) and televised live on AP1 HD, has seven teams vying for the coveted title, with national and international players lining up for each size.
As the first-ever NSL reaches its end stage, Kathmandu Rayzrs FC—the top team on the table based on round robin matches—now looks to secure the title.
Under the expert coaching of Nepali football legend Bal Gopal Maharjan, Kathmandu Rayzrs plays Dhangadhi FC in the final on May 15.
Owned by the MAW Enterprises—one of the biggest and most diverse conglomerates in the country—the Kathmandu Rayzrs is sponsored by MAW’s most popular import—Yamaha motorcycles. Vishnu Agarwal, Managing Director of MAW and owner of Kathmandu Rayzrs, talks to Sunny Mahat of ApEx about the team and the private sector’s involvement in sports.
What made MAW decide to own and operate a football team?
I would call it an opportunity we got. MAW has always been associated with football. We have sponsored football tournaments in the past and have also been giving Yamaha motorcycles to outstanding players every year in coordination with ANFA.
Yamaha motorcycles are designed for the youth and performance driven. And as football is a popular sport among the youth, we decided to sponsor Kathmandu Rayzrs to connect more with them.
Any reason behind calling the team Rayzrs?
You can say the Kathmandu Rayzrs is basically named after the Yamaha Ray ZR scooter, a popular and high selling two-wheeler in the 125cc category. Performance-wise, the Ray ZR is a scooter with maximum mileage and maximum pickup, hence the name for our team.
How do you find the league without live spectators?
It is a rather sad situation. We were really excited about the NSL and looking forward to huge public participation but the ongoing Covid crisis has changed everything. Still, we are satisfied with our team’s performance and how the league has shaped. Covid-19 stalled some of our plans for this year but we hope to do better in the coming years.
Does MAW have other plans of investing in sports?
We plan to make our presence felt on fields besides sports too. As for sports, we do not have any other plans now. At present, we are only exploring the possibilities of taking Kathmandu Rayzrs FC to greater heights.
What kind of contribution can private organizations investing in sports make?
Whenever private organizations are involved, the concerned sport benefits. Not only in Nepal, we see the same phenomena around the world. It is appreciable to see people putting effort to rope in private organizations into sports. We have to encourage and support sports of all kinds.
