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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
WHILE the elimination of hosts Egypt from the Africa Cup of Nations was received with both joy and shock in different parts of the continent, it was certainly a huge blow for the corporate world and organisers of the premier African football tournament.
Not that it’s a given that the hosts are not supposed to be eliminated from tournaments, as that has happened for time immemorial, but it is the disturbing attendance trend in Africa that brings about the wish that maybe hosts must go all the way to the final for a tournament to be regarded as a huge success, especially in terms of attendance.
Cairo International Stadium, venue for the Egypt matches, was always filled to capacity whenever the Pharaohs were in action, with 75 000 cheering fans making their way into stadium as early as seven or so hours before kick-off.
That was in sharp contrast to other venues in Cairo and Alexandria which were virtually empty despite the fact that some world renowned stars were in action.
Besides Egypt’s Mohammed Salah, the tournament also has top players like John Mikel Obi and Ahmed Musa of Nigeria, Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal), Ryahd Mahrez (Morocco) and Nicolas Pépé and Wilfred Zaha (Cote d’Ivoire), among others, but still these stars found themselves playing virtually before empty terraces.
Victor Oladokun, the director of communication and external relations of the African Development Bank, noted that official broadcast camera crews did a creative job minimising the visual gaps of empty seats.
But wide camera angles revealed the obvious; a lack of attendance and public enthusiasm, in spite of the presence of some of the biggest names in world football on the field.
“The lack of fan attendance has obvious economic and financial implications across the sports value chain for team owners, sports federations and confederations, players, sponsors, advertising and marketing agencies, merchandisers, vendors and local communities who once counted on fan attendance to boost fledgling economies,” wrote Oladokun.
Questions must then be asked what exactly could be the reason fans, especially in Africa, seem to shun going to stadiums except when their favourite team is playing. It surely cannot be the increase of television coverage, as this trend is not being witnessed in Europe where sport coverage has reached saturation point.
One other clear reason could be too restrictive travel requirements, especially when applying for visas.
For instance, it costs US$25 for Zimbabwean supporters to get Egyptian visas, while journalists forked out US$45. These are inhibiting factors for ordinary fans and scribes from some publications.
Perhaps African leaders need to see sport in general and football in particular, as a business and brand, not just a luxury and when a country is given the right to host a big tournament like Afcon, restrictive immigration requirements must be suspended.
“It can no longer be business as usual. Africa must run sports as a professional business. This includes the right infrastructure, training facilities, attractive pay scales for professional athletes who now consider anything less than a European league appearance, a professional failure.
“Regrettably, as with Africa’s overall propensity to simply export raw materials instead of adding value to what we produce, we are doing the same with football and many other sports. Africa has a tremendous abundance of potential talent that for the most part (with the exception of South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia) we add little or no value to. Instead, millions of genetically blessed athletes are simply waiting or begging to be ‘found’ on the cheap by European and American sports teams. Why, simply because we fail to see diamonds in the rough and because we are unable to add value to the potential of what for now seems to be rough stones,” notes Oladokun.
This is why even in this day and age we still have the Caf Champions League final being played over two legs unlike in Europe where the continental club competitions have one venue, which necessarily won’t be a home ground for any of the participating finalists. Still then, the final is always packed to the brim because Europe now takes football as a business and it’s high time Africa also follows suit.
Unless something drastic happens in Egypt, the 2019 Afcon final is likely to see a very low attendance figure now that the hosts will be watching from the sidelines, following their stunning 0-1 loss to South Africa in the round of 16.
Oladokun believes the running of sport as a business and a brand proposition will require honest analysis, political and financial will, and a collective approach.
“It must be if Africa is to unlock potential and turn millions into billions,” he says.
Online Reporter