Winning a spot at the First Division in the 2013 season does not mean full happiness for the Ba Ria – Vung Tau football club as they are now struggling to find a sponsor, while the tournament will begin in the next two months.Under professional football regulations, any club competing in the First Division must be owned by a company, and the coastal province is setting up a joint stock company and calling for participations from local businesses. The toughest problem, however, is the annual capital of VND30 billion (US$1.4 million) needed to maintain the club’s operation. “It’s not easy to attract sponsorships as most businesses are hurt by the economic downturn,” said Phan Thanh Sang, deputy director of the province’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. The department has supported the club by providing them a bus for traveling, and is finding accommodation and training places for the team. There are not many wealthy businesses in the province, and some of the major firms already have their own sport teams, added Sang. Sang said they will develop a long-term plan for the team, and avoid relying too much on bosses who are business tycoons. Coach Nguyen Trung Hau said he needs more high-quality players. “Some players have shown interest, but due to the modest budget, the club has yet to talk with any of them,” he said. The province’s authorities admitted that VND30 billion is a big problem, but they will make all efforts to help the club qualify for the First Division. “But we badly need a sponsor who can help cover the players’ salaries and the club’s maintenance expenses,” deputy chairman of the provincial People’s Committee told Tuoi Tre. “But we will never give up,” he said. Meanwhile, Sang, from the province’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said “grass has already grown under their feet,” as there are only two months until the season starts. “We will first use the VND4 billion from the 2013 budget of the team to cover training and competition expenses while waiting for the sponsorship,” he said.