What the football fraternity needs in 2018

Raymond Jaravaza
A BRAND new year and new challenges for Zimbabwean football. Here are some of the things that the local football fraternity hopes to see in 2018.

1) A Lucrative TV rights deal
Itaï¿½ï¿½s no secret the SuperSport and Premier Soccer League deal for the broadcasting of local matches exposed the league to a wider African audience.

But the monetary rewards pegged at $22 000 for each topflight football club per season was seen by observers as peanuts compared to the millions of South African rand given to clubs across the Limpopo by the same broadcaster.
Out goes SuperSport in 2018 and a new kid on the block, Kwese Sport, is reportedly coming on board.

One can only hope the Kwese Sport deal, if it materialises, will immensely benefit clubs financially.

2) Mobile money payments at stadiums

The PSL introduced a mobile payment method aï¿½ï¿½ EcoCash aï¿½ï¿½ that enabled fans to pay for gate charges with their mobile phones last season to mitigate against the countryaï¿½ï¿½s cash crunch.

A few teething problems with the mobile payment method were experienced with some fans leaving stadiums in frustration at the snailaï¿½ï¿½s pace at turnstiles offering the services.

The PSL should address such problems and ensure there is efficiency at the gates where the mobile payment method is offered.

3) Zero tolerance to hooliganism and hate language
Hooliganism in and outside stadiums is simply not acceptable. Football is a family sport that should be enjoyed by fans of all ages. Missile throwing supporters aï¿½ï¿½ whether provoked or not aï¿½ï¿½ must be brought to book.

Disturbing pictures of fans carrying placards with hate speech inscribed on them or supporters armed to the teeth must not be tolerated in 2018.

4) WiFi and TV monitors for journalists in press areas
Journalists still cover matches in press areas that aï¿½ï¿½ apart from very few exceptionsaï¿½ï¿½aï¿½ï¿½ do not have WiFi, a situation that makes the work of the Fourth Estate a tad difficult. .