CAPS Utd boss cries foul

Augustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS United claim they are victims of a poorly-run league fixture programme and this was draining their financial resources after playing at least half of their home games during mid-week.
On Wednesday, CAPS  United hosted Triangle in a Castle Lager Premiership tie at the giant National Sports Stadium with about 500 fans paying their way into the  60 000-seater facility, in what was a loss match for the Green Machine.

CAPS United chief executive, Joe Makuvire, yesterday painted a pathetic picture of their financial position that he attributed partly to the irregular programming of their home matches.

He said his concern has nothing to do with personalities running football but was an outright business issue where clubs were suffering because the league is focused on completing its programme.

“We believe that our principle business as CAPS United is to participate in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League and the club’s business plan is based on the activities in the Premiership.

“As a club, we source funding and do our budgets and operations so that we ensure participation, while in return as a business we expect to generate revenue from the Premier Soccer League activities to sustain our activities.

“So now, as a club, we are very worried that we have played the majority of our home games during the mid-week of late.
“Generally,  clubs attract few fans during mid-week matches while our initial plan was to play those home matches on weekends where we could attract more fans,” said Makuvire.

Makuvire said it was even difficult to convince potential partners to market their products and services during a poorly attended mid-week game.

“The implications of playing mid-week games is that our supporters are disgruntled because they will be occupied elsewhere and are not coming to our home games, even if they wish.

“I think of late we have been playing well than the past seasons and should have been commanding better crowds, but our records show that we are witnessing the lowest attendances ever.

“The problem is that people go to work or hassle during the week and cannot afford to spare time for a football match in very difficult environment.

“Because there are few fans at our matches, the corporates are also reluctant market their products since we attract few fans at our home games during mid-week,” lamented Makuvire.

Makuvire said their plight was not helped when they play the next fixture away and then return home for another mid-week game.
“Attendance at our home matches this season are so pathetic and we cannot compare them to any other year, yet our performance is much better and should be attracting bumper crowds of nearly 5 000.

“Since this cycle of mid-week games started, I think we have now played seven consecutive games during the mid-week and the next weekend we play away.

“We cannot play during the evening because of logistical challenges in hiring the lighting,” he said.
Makuvire said the mid-week fixture challenge had also affected Highlanders.

“We are almost in the same situation with Highlanders who played FC Platinum during mid-week and this weekend, they are also on the road.

“So, the circle is repeating, I rarely hear of Dynamos playing their home matches in mid-week.
“This is complicating the whole championship race because we getting different resources from the gates,” said Makuvire.

Makuvire said gates remain one of the potential revenue flows for clubs although teams could be getting other partners to meet their costs.
“Please let’s not dwell on the mantra that we should not expect money from gates. Dynamos, Highlanders, CAPS United and Shabanie could tell you that gates are critical for revenue flows.

“When we have reasonable figures at the gates, we can also hope to get proper sponsorship but it’s difficult when we play on Wednesdays and getting crowds of 500 people.

“It means we are disadvantaged because we had budgeted on getting so much from the home games at weekends and then use the figures to attract corporate partners.

“Football is our business because we do not mine coal, we do not mine platinum or gold neither do we grow sugarcane,” he said.
Last month CAPS United players boycotted training and even appealed to former club vice-president Farai Jere for help after they have gone for several games without getting full payment.

“This idea of running a mid-week programmea is financially suicidal for the clubs and it has downstream effects because it affects even the vendors at matches.

“This also affects the levies from the stadium because the commission is poor and even the revenue for the league is smaller.
“I think we have situation in which the league is focused on finishing its programme without assessing the negative financial implications to the clubs.

“So the plan we developed as CAPS United at the start of the season is now in the dustbin and no wonder why we are failing to pay players on time.”