This has seen fans at stadiums dwindle as some prefer to watch their favourite foreign teams. The situation was further exacerbated by internal squabbles within the local game which proved a big turn-off for the fans. But after a barren few seasons without a sponsor, the local league has come to life largely thanks to FNB Botswana's sponsorship. The crowds have flocked back to the stadiums despite counter-attractions from the established foreign leagues.
Township Rollers, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Extension Gunners, TAFIC and Gaborone United are traditional crowd pullers and fans have responded and behaved well this season. Teams like Nico United, Sua Flamingoes, Morupule Wanderers and Jwaneng Galaxy attracted a sizeable crowd to their home matches. In fact most teams record decent crowds, which is an improvement from previous seasons. Fans are a critical component and drive the players to perform better. The Premier League's rallying call has always been to have more bodies on the stadium seats. The situation is not yet at the pinnacle, but surely the signs are encouraging. Extension Gunners and Mochudi Centre Chiefs fans singing their lungs out at the Lobatse Stadium over the weekend reminded fans of the good old days. The Premier League no longer relies on the Gaborone United vs Township Rollers derby to pull the crowds.
