Only 6,600 fans watched Zebras-Togo game

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Friday September 10, 2010 00:00

 

The BFA made last minute efforts to move the tie to the National Stadium, anticipating a large crowd, but the fact that fans did not fill the smaller UB Stadium might be a worry.

The National Stadium request was turned down as renovations are still incomplete. Last Saturday’s attendance means that about 2,000 spaces were not filled at UB Stadium. This should worry the BFA which is grappling with a sharp decline in revenue from gate takings largely due to the unavailability of the National Stadium.

Although Monametsi refused to disclose the gross amount from Saturday’s gate takings, calculations reveal that the sum was more than P264,000. The cheapest ticket was P40 while the two grand stands cost P60.

If the tickets were sold out, BFA would have made at least P350,000, which however, is a far-cry from the amount that would have been raised had the tie been staged at a fully-packed National Stadium.

By hosting the game at the UB Stadium, the BFA potentially lost about P550,000, assuming that a capacity crowd was going to watch the tie at the 22,500-seater National Stadium. Zebras’ next assignment is a massive match against former African champions, Tunisia in Gaborone on November 17.  The new Francistown Stadium will only be completed in March 2011, while there is hope that the Lobatse Stadium, which seats 20,000 will be available at the time of the duel.

It remains unclear when the National Stadium will be ready for action.