adminLOCAL authorities should grant Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clubs full use of their stadia instead of only the use of pitches to home teams.
Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda said the trend where clubs were being levied 20 percent by councils while being barred from use of other stadia facilities was not only acceptable, but mind boggling and should come to an end.
Sibanda said a new approach that was fair to clubs should be initiated, instead of the skewed arrangement that saw stadia owners benefit more than clubs.
He said as the national football governing body, they would be going on an overdrive to engage councils at all levels to that effect.
Most football clubs in the country do not own any stadia with most of these run by local council authorities.
“As Zifa, I feel it’s time we engage local authorities so that we reach an understanding where football becomes the winner because we have organisations who seem to be making more from the sport because they own facilities.
“Clubs should have 100 percent control of the stadia and not only just given a small portion they use for playing the game. There are kiosks at stadia, why do councils retain full control of them when clubs are the ones bringing in the crowds? Clubs are not even given a certain percentage from the lease of these kiosks. This is an untenable situation that has to stop.
“Maybe that was the norm in the past and it has not been questioned but such a model cannot sustain commercial football, it is just like milking the proverbial golden goose dry,” said Sibanda.
He said clubs were struggling to be at their best when preparing for games using a lot of resources and also pay in marketing games only for other entities to reap the rewards.
Sibanda said clubs should be in charge of kiosks and benefit financially from leasing them out or run them during the duration of the games as they would be the ones who would have attracted the crowds.
“We are going to engage the Sports Ministry to engage the Ministry of Local Government on the issue while we as Zifa meet councils because we cannot keep going on with a situation like this. Clubs could be making more money from kiosks selling food and beverages to the crowds they bring to the stadium and finance their operations but clubs are struggling to make an income and have to persistently rely on sponsors when the game has the potential to become profitable,” he said.
The situation is the same with regards to touchline advertising, where clubs are yet to get a cent from proceeds from this type of marketing yet they are the ones that bring crowds to the stadia.
The PSL has been engaged in talks with advertising company Askeland Media that was reportedly given the tender to source clients and erect adverts at all local authority owned stadia in the country.
While previously the PSL had reached a blanket agreement with councils on stadia use by clubs, last year teams were requested to individually negotiate with councils for lease of grounds. However, new contracts were yet to be concluded, hence the old model still stands
“It is the trend everywhere that teams benefit from touchline advertising and actually that is where most of their revenue comes from and not gate takings so it defies logic why here it is any different. The 20 percent levy on entrance fees itself is too much, we hope the councils would listen to the cries of the clubs and reduce the amount,” said Sibanda, adding that Division One clubs should be allowed free access to grounds as they do not make any money from the gates.
Online Reporter