Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, at Country Club, Harare, [email protected]
CASTLE Lager Premier Soccer League clubs have been challenged to be innovative and move away from riding on their history as times have changed.
Presenting at a plenary session at a day-long workshop which ran under the theme in Harare yesterday; “It’s time to make Zimfootball exciting again” yesterday, Supersport United chief executive officer Stan Matthews noted that Zimbabwe soccer is a good product.
He encouraged clubs to cultivate ways of getting commercial value of their brands.
The workshop was organised by the country’s leading media house, Zimpapers, who took an active initiative to make Zimbabwe’s football exciting again by holding an Indaba meant to find ways of bringing fans back into the stadia.
Through their ZTNPrime, the Premier Soccer League’s official broadcasting partner, Zimpapers partnered top sports broadcaster Supersport to capacitate local clubs.
“Football can’t lean on the past as the world has changed. Seven years ago, there wasn’t Ngezi Platinum Stars, FC Platinum were still coming up and Highlanders, Dynamos and Caps United had the powerbase. In television, big brands like Highlanders, Dynamos and Caps United need to stay strong.
“Right now the Zimbabwean Premiership is a good product because it is unpredictable because there are six teams that are in title contention. What kills the local game is cancelation of fixtures. It costs a lot of money. As broadcasters we spend a lot of money planning and when games are cancelled when we had paid for production, then we lose a lot. You need to respect fixtures,” said Matthews.
He went on to encourage clubs to put players first, as they add value to the game and are assets to teams.
Matthews bemoaned lack of respect for players by clubs.
The veteran administrator, who has been involved in football for 24 years went on to advise clubs that they can reap more from player development.
“The work ethic of Zimbabwean players is commendable. As clubs, you can earn more by producing players and getting training and development fees,” said Matthews.
Meanwhile, Zimpapers board chairman Tommy Sithole said it is the behaviour of clubs on and off the field that can attract fans back into stadia.
He applauded ZTN for taking an initiative to assist in the drive to develop local football.
“This is profound just being here among people who’ve been in business of broadcasting football and knowing how to and who to, is a gift that very few of us would have loved to receive.
-@ZililoR
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter