Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira , Sports Writer
THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) says teams are allowed to organise curtain-raisers for league matches as long as they don’t interfere with the main match programme.
After a long time on the local football league scene, there was a curtain-raiser for the Dynamos versus Caps United league clash played at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Dynamos juniors warmed up the pitch for the senior team, a scene that has not been witnessed in the league in a long time.
Perhaps even a decade or more.
In this period, junior teams have been unable to play in major stadiums as curtain-raisers and a lot of theories have been thrown around as to why the youngsters were being denied the opportunity.
Some argue curtain raising is one major component that gives our juniors the real feel of playing in a standard stadium being watched by many spectators thus giving the juniors the much-needed confidence against stage fright.
There has been a perception the PSL prohibits curtain-raising but that is not the case according to chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele.
“A curtain-raiser is subject to an agreement between the stadium owner and the hirer of the facility. Once the two parties reach an arrangement we don’t prohibit the holding of a curtain raiser.
“As PSL our position is clear. We don’t want any activity other than the main match from 1:30 pm. That is the time we open the gates and the teams start arriving.
“From that moment, nothing outside the main match programme should be happening more so on the pitch. If the hirer of the stadium decides to open the gates at 11:30am, the onus is on them to pay all the service providers from that time,” said Ndebele.
When debate arose over why the number of fans had dwindled at local stadia, failure to have an entertainment bouquet of match day activities culminating in the main match was mentioned as one.
Back in the day, fans would go to matches in the morning to watch the juniors who would be curtain-raising the main match all day. It was the supporters who ensured promising players graduated from one age group to the other.
The PSL has been conducting roadshows and giving away complimentary tickets in a bid to have more fans attending football matches. —@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter