US$50 TICKET PRICES ANGER FANS

THERE is outrage in domestic football after the Premier Soccer League came up with outrageous ticket prices, for fans the Chibuku Super Cup, with the VVIP tickets costing more than what one would require to watch an English Premiership match.

It means a VVIP ticket, to watch the tournament’s quarter-finals, will cost more than what a season ticket holder, with the cheapest tickets, spent to watch the blockbuster English Premiership battle between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford last weekend.

It will cost twice what the season ticket holders forked out, on average, to watch the league matches at Leeds United, Manchester City, West Ham United, Leicester City and Aston Villa, who have Zimbabwe international, Marvelous Nakamba, on their books.

The VVIP ticket for the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals, set for this weekend at Baobab in Ngezi, will be US$50 while the cheapest tickets will go for US$20.

It’s the first domestic top-flight league matches which fans will be allowed to watch, since thousands poured into Barbourfields, for the Challenge Cup showdown between FC Platinum and Highlanders, in February, last year.

However, even though two matches will be played each day, the league chiefs have come up with some outrageous ticket prices, which are likely to be out of reach for the ordinary fan, who has stuck with the game, even after it was brought to a halt.

The cheapest tickets for the Chibuku Super Cup will cost about 10 times what the cheapest tickets cost for fans (R40), to watch the Soweto Derby, between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

According to the authoritative www.givemesport.com <http://www.givemesport.com> website, this is what ticket holders, in the English Premiership, paid for the cheapest tickets to watch their teams this season:

    West Ham — £320 — (about US$440, average US$23).

    Manchester City — £325 — (about US$445, average US$23.4).

    Leeds United — £349 — (about US$478, average US$25).

    Leicester City — £365 — (about U$500, average US$26).

    Aston Villa — £370 — (about US$508, average US$26.7).

    Burnley — £390 — (about US$535, average US$28).

    Southampton — £399 — (about US$547, average US$28.7).

    Newcastle United — £417 — (about US$572, average US$30).

    Brentford — £419 — (about US$574, average US$30.2).

    Everton — £420 — (about US$576, average US$30.3).

    Crystal Palace — £435 — (about US$597, average US$31.4).

    Watford — £496 — (about US$680, average US$35.7).

    Norwich City — £499 — (about US$684, average US$36).

    Manchester United — £532 —(about US$730, average US$38.4).

    Brighton — £545  — (about US$748, average US$39.3).

    Wolves — £549  — (about US$753, average US$39.6). Chelsea — £595 — (about US$816, average US$42.9).

    Liverpool — £685 — (about US$940, average US$36).

    Tottenham — £807 — (about US$1 107, average US$42.4).

    Arsenal — £891 — (about US$1 222, average US$46.9)

The Premier Soccer League announced yesterday fans will need to part with between US$20, for the rest of the ground tickets, and US$50 for the VVIP, or the Zimbabwe dollar equivalent, at the interbank rate, to gain entrance at the match venue.

The tickets are expected to go on sale today, at the participating clubs’ offices, as spectators prepare to return to the stadium for the first time in nearly two years.

The PSL were granted permission to allow 2 000 fully vaccinated fans for the Chibuku Super Cup matches, after ZIFA’s application was approved by the Ministry of Youth Sport, Arts and Recreation.

The spectators are expected to produce their national identity cards, and vaccination cards, at the point of ticket sales.

Dynamos Supporters Association (Harare chapter) spokesperson, Solomon Chingono, yesterday told The Herald the ticket pricing was a huge strain on their pockets.

“The pegged prices came as a shock to us as supporters, more importantly, coming from a difficult period like the Covid-19 lockdown, where most people have had to make ends meet, with the very little we earn.’’

Chicken Inn will get the ball rolling against hometown side Ngezi Platinum Stars, in a mid-morning kick-off, before FC Platinum and Highlanders clash at 3pm, on Saturday.

Newboys Cranborne Bullets will warm the stage against Harare City on Sunday morning before Dynamos’ showdown with Black Rhinos, in the afternoon.

“The last time we went out to enjoy a football match we paid at most US$3-US$5 Rest of Ground,’’ said Chingono.

“We do understand how Covid-19 has affected most of the clubs but, as fans, we haven’t been spared either.

“We feel the minimum charge is a tad unfair for the ordinary fan.’’

Another local football fan Shungu Kamukapa vented his disappointment on Twitter.

“Why do you want to take people for granted, with the type of our football US$20 is madness. In fact, total madness.

“PSL have let down the fans in a very big way by trying to rob Peter to pay Paul.

“All you are after is squeezing the little dollars in our pockets, with no regard in improving the stadiums,” he tweeted.

DeMbare cheerleader Chris “Romario” Musekiwa said it didn’t make sense.

“PSL is totally offside, the US$20 cheapest ticket for a local club match is unheard of and ridiculous. Even when Brazil came here in 2010, we paid far less than that, to watch some of the world stars,’’ he said.

“If they don’t want fans for the Chibuku Super Cup matches they can openly say so.’’

Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association founding president, Eddie “Mboma’’ Nyatanga, urged the PSL to listen to their constituency.

“Without fans, there will be no football and there is no need for this drama when we should be making our football appeal to the supporters,’’ he said.

The PSL yesterday said no tickets will be sold at the stadium.

Each club have been allocated 250 tickets to sell at their offices. Herald

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