adminSikhumbuzo Moyo in BULAWAYO
HIGHLANDERS were the dominant brand that attracted the fans to Barbourfields on Sunday, but the Premiership giants have been left to count the costs of staging a huge-profile match after most of the gate receipts went into the coffers of other parties.
Thousands of fans, mostly Highlanders supporters, invaded Barbourfields for the Battle of Cities showdown that featured CAPS United.
But, the Bulawayo City Council and the Sports and Recreation Commission took a huge chunk of the earnings from gate receipts, while Bosso were left to feed on crumbs.
The two parties take a combined 26 percent of gross gate takings from clubs per each match, but there is little, if anything, to show how exactly the money is used. The poor state of Barbourfields and the National Sports Stadium show nothing has been invested back into the facilities.
Sunday’s match attracted 13 600 fans.
With the cheapest ticket going for $5, Highlanders grossed $76 710, but only managed to bank a third of that amount.
They paid $4 602,60 to the Sports Commission, a similar amount to ZIFA and $15 342 to Bulawayo City Council.
Bosso remained with $52 162,80 but they also paid a 10 percent share of $5 216,28 to the Premier Soccer league.
This left the with $46 946,52.
Still, from that amount, they had to take care of other match day expenses like paying the 100 police officers on duty, as well as other service providers.
That cost more than $12 000, leaving the Bulawayo side with just a third of the gross revenue.
“It’s a Highlanders game, but at the end of the day, we remain with a third of the revenue, while other institutions that do little, if anything, in the build-up to the match get a bigger chunk,’’ said Bosso chairman Kenneth Mhlope.
“As for the city council, they get so much as a single entity, but we don’t see what that money is used for. They tell us that we are only paying for using the turf, hence we can’t run those tuckshops inside the stadium.
“But, if you check, the pitch was in bad shape, so what are they doing with all the money?’’
He said they were engaging the council to try and reduce what they take from the game.
“We also have ZRP details who are paid per hour and according to their ranks, but we are saying why are they being paid when they will be on national duty?
“We hope the New Dispensation leadership will hear our cries because if you remember last time, our former chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede wrote to the ZRP Commissioner-General requesting a police waiver, but that request was turned down.
“We hope to get an ear from the new commanders,” said Mhlophe.
Meanwhile, Bosso are mourning one of their members, Thandolwenkosi Tshuma, who died in a car crash on Sunday evening along the Bulawayo/Gwanda Road. He was returning home to Esigodini after watching the Battle of Cities.
Online Reporter