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Viewing cable 09RANGOON355, BURMA: CRONIES LAUNCH NEW SOCCER LEAGUE

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09RANGOON355 2009-06-12 04:04 2010-12-06 15:03 CONFIDENTIAL Em

VZCZCXRO7411
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGO #0355/01 1630447
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 120447Z JUN 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9098
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 2945
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2306
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2044
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 5228
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2151
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 5519
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 9115
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0782
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 6692
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 1818
Currently released so far... RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 2196
1060 / 251,287 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0666
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
Articles RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2495
Brazil RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4502
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
Sri Lanka RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
United Kingdom RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
Sweden RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
Editorial RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
United States
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RANGOON 000355
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2010/12/03 EO 12958 DECL: 06/12/2019
2010/12/02 TAGS ECON, EFIN, ETRD, PREL, PINR, BM
2010/12/01
2010/11/30 SUBJECT: BURMA: CRONIES LAUNCH NEW SOCCER LEAGUE
2010/11/29 REF: RANGOON 330
2010/11/28 RANGOON 00000355 001.6 OF 003

Browse by creation date Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for Reasons 1.

66 72 75 79 86 88 89 90 Summary
03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 -------

¶1. (C) On the alleged order of Senior General Than Shwe, regime cron
Browse by origin businessmen launched the new Myanmar National Football League (MNL) o
2009. To date, the MNL has been a huge success, with high attendance
A B C D F H I J national TV and radio coverage. It is unclear if there is any politic
K L M N O P R S motivation behind the MNL, although many Burmese businessmen speculat
T U V W Y is using it as a way to distract the populace from ongoing political
problems. End Summary.
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Let the Games Begin
A B C D E F G H -------------------

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¶2. (C) The Myanmar Football Federation (MFF), chaired by regime crony Zaw Zaw,
launched the Myanmar National Football League on May 16, 2009. The league, the
first of its kind, has eight professional teams representing different states and
divisions. During the May-July season, teams compete for the National Cup and
title of Myanmar National League Champion. The teams are sponsored by regime
cronies and businessmen (listed below). According to XXXXXXXXXXXX, Zaw Zaw and
Than Shwe’s grandson created the idea of a professional soccer league more than a
year ago but had to obtain the Senior General’s support first. One well-connected
source reports that the grandson wanted Than Shwe to offer USD 1 billion for
Manchester United. The Senior General thought that sort of expenditure could look
bad, so he opted to create for Burma a league of its own. In January, Secretary-1
reportedly told select Burmese businessmen that Than Shwe had “chosen” them to
be the owners of the new professional soccer teams. XXXXXXXXXXXX said the owners
are responsible for paying all costs, including team salaries, housing and
transportation, uniform costs, and advertising for the new league. In addition,
owners must build new stadiums in their respective regions by 2011, at an
estimated cost of USD one million per stadium.

--------------------------------------------- ------
Myanmar National League 2009 Teams
--------------------------------------------- ------
Team Owner and Company Sanctions Subject
--------------------------------------------- ------

Kanbawza Aung Ko Win/Kanbawza Bank No

Delta United Zaw Win Shaine/Ayeyar Hintha No (financially backed by Zaw Zaw,
owner of Max Myanmar Yes
Magway Steven Law/Asia World Co. Yes
Okkthar United Aung Kyaw Moe/Intl Brewery No Trading Co.
RANGOON 00000355 002.2 OF 003
Zayar Shwe Myay Win Myint/Chair, Myanmar No Chamber Of Commerce
Yangon United Tay Za/Htoo Trading Yes
Southern Myanmar Htay Myint/Yuzana Co. Yes
Yadanarbon Sai Sam Htun/Loi Hein Co. No (sole distributor of soft drinks
produced by SOEs)

--------------------------------------------- ------

¶3. (C) The eight teams currently practice and play in Rangoon; by 2011, the MNL
should have a nationwide presence, XXXXXXXXXXXX stated. The teams have an
average of 40 players and salaries range from between USD 500-2000 a month,
depending on the caliber of the players. XXXXXXXXXXXX told us that Steven Law’s
Magway team pays the highest salaries, spending USD 155,000 a month, while Win
Myint’s Zayar Shwe Myay team only spends USD 52,200 a month on salaries. Tay Za,
Aung Ko Win, and Steven Law also pay their players high signing bonuses,
XXXXXXXXXXXX stated. According to XXXXXXXXXXXX , Aung Ko Win, owner of the
Kanbawza team, has budgeted USD 2 million for the 2009 season. Other owners will
spend approximately the same amount, he noted.
2 von 3 ¶4. (C) Several of the team owners have taken their obligations seriously, 08.12.10 12:17
XXXXXXXXXXXX stated. For example, Tay Za has hired five players from Africa; and
Zaw Zaw, who financially backs the Delta United team despite being Chair of the
MFF, recruited several Argentinean players. XXXXXXXXXXXX noted that Aung Kyaw
Moe, owner of Okkthar United Team and the International Brewery Trade Co. (which
Cable Viewer http://213.251.145.96/cable/2009/06/09RANGOON355.html

-------------

¶6. (C) The MNL to date has been quite successful. Tickets are relatively
expensive by Burmese standards, ranging from USD .50 to USD 1, which can be as
much as half a day’s salary for the average Burmese. Nevertheless, there has been
heavy attendance at most of the games, with several games sold out. Reportedly
though, owners paid up to USD 3 per head to entice fans to the first games, when
it looked like ticket
RANGOON 00000355 003.2 OF 003
sales were lagging. Proceeds from the MNL are used to support the MFF.
XXXXXXXXXXXX noted that for the more popular teams, such as Yadanarbon and
Magway, scalpers are able to sell tickets for up to USD 1.50. XXXXXXXXXXXX
commented that given the continued political and economic repression of the
people, he understands why they want to spend their money on something enjoyable.
For those who cannot afford to attend the games, MRTV (the GOB’s television
network) shows the games live. During Saturdays and Sundays at 4pm, local
teashops are filled with Burmese watching the games. Additionally, the matches
are broadcast on the radio.

MNL: A Distraction or Just Good Fun?

-------------------------------------

¶7. (C) While admitting that the MNL is “just good fun,” a number of our contacts
question the regime’s motivation behind creating the league. Several have
commented that it may be a way for the regime to distract the people from ongoing
political and economic problems, or to divert their attention from criticism of
the upcoming 2010 elections. Many speculate that the regime will suspend the 2010
MNL cup, should it fall close to the election date, as the government may not
want large crowds of people to gather. That remains to be seen. Whatever the
reason, the MNL is proving an early success, and something for the Burmese to
talk about without threatening the regime.
DINGER

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