Deputy Mayor Wants Alcohol Ban Lifted At Stadia
Correspondent | Monday June 10, 2019 12:56
Speaking at the Francistown based club, TAFIC maiden awards ceremony on Friday, Radisigo said the prolonged restriction of liquor at stadia scares away football fanatics who like to watch football while enjoying their drinks.
According to Radisigo, football and alcohol consumption are like conjoined twins as they go hand in hand. The Deputy Mayor’s bone of contention is that clubs are struggling to attract lucrative sponsorships from corporate companies.
Therefore they heavily rely on gate takings to survive and pay operational costs that are extremely high. He explained that, “these days football fans prefer to watch games on television at the comfort of their homesteads because they will be free to consume alcohol.”
Radisigo strongly believes that lifting the ban on liquor at stadia will attract more football fans to attend games hence boost clubs’ financial coffers.
Newly-promoted clubs to the Premier League with dire financial challenges are the ones greatly affected by the ban. Some end up being relegated to the lowest leagues. Other clubs are even struggling to pay players monthly salaries.
Radisigo advised TAFIC management not to sit on their laurels but knock on each and every door to seek sponsorship from well-wishers and companies operating in the second city.
“The committee should work hard to market the club for companies to provide the much needed funds to run this club with rich history. You should no longer expect to get financial assistance from the government but you should find ways to sustain the team and rejuvenate football in the northern part of the country,” he pointed out.
TAFIC Chairman, Carlos Sebina indicated that it was a great achievement for the team to have re-gained automatic promotion to the premier league after spending only one season at the Debswana First Division North league.
Machimenyenga as TAFIC is known by hordes of its supporters got promoted to the elite league after amassing 57 points in a fiercely contested first division north league.
Sebina called on TAFIC loyal supporters to come on board and support some of the initiatives that are already in place such as Letsema.
Under Letsema initiative, each supporter is expected to pop out P250 and the target is to raise P500, 000.
“We have also introduced another programme known as adopt-a-player whereby our supporters can choose one player and assist that particular player financially every month,” the shrewd businessman explained.
One of the reasons that led to a successful season, Sebina said was to establish functional structures with precise roles for each member of the committee.
At the awards, ceremony Gobonyeone Selefa scoped player of the season award and walked home P1, 500 richer. Selefa also won player’s player of the season and pocketed another P1, 500.
Another player who won big was Kemoreng Batisani. The youthful Batisani received the most improved player’s award and top goal scorer prize. He got P2, 500 as an appreciation for his efforts.
Team Captain, Uyapo Tibathuwe also received two prizes, supporters’ player of the season and the most disciplined player. Goal keeper of the season award went to Abednico Morapedi. In addition, each TAFIC player was rewarded with P1, 000 for their wonderful performance to boost their morale.
Guest of honour, Bennett Mamelodi emphasised the importance of the club to continually improve the TAFIC brand and instil belief in the corporate world that the club will deliver on their commercial requirements.
“You have to remain committed, united in the pursuit of a common goal that of returning TAFIC to the glory days of yester-year,” he averred.