Zifa record big match loss

at Rufaro but remained worried that huge service charges once again left the association with a loss despite grossing US$133 000 from the gates.
The Warriors marked their return to Rufaro for a Nations Cup assignment last Sunday after a three-year absence with a deserved 2-1 triumph over Mali in a Group A qualifier before an estimated 30 000 strong and appreciative crowd.

The country’s flagship team had last played a Nations Cup assignment at Rufaro in 2008 during a failed campaign under the tenure of Brazilian coach Valinhos.
Kaizer Chiefs hotshot Knowledge Musona, scoring his third goal in this campaign, struck a brace to give the Warriors their first victory in the race for places at the 2012 Nations Cup finals to be co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Norman Mapeza’s men had managed two points and a loss in their previous assignments, which had left them five points behind leaders Cape Verde and led to some of their fans doubting the Warriors’ pedigree to last the distance in this campaign.
But on Sunday the fans gave the Warriors the benefit of doubt and packed Rufaro with 28 554 of them paying their way into the old home of football where the cheapest ticket was going for US$3 and the most

expensive seat was costing US$30.
Zifa also issued US$450 worth of complimentary tickets to invited guests while service providers and other accredited people constituted the rest of the crowd.

Despite making US$133 082 from gate revenue Zifa were still left with a US$5 979 deficit after the direct match expenses chewed up US$139 061.
Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, however, said they had been heartened by the turnout at Rufaro and the “overwhelming” response to the trial run on the sale of replica jerseys.

The Warriors turned up at Rufaro in a new gold and green Puma kit after dumping the Legea strip they had used in the last six years.
Mashingaidze said the Warriors’ performance and the fans’ response had also given them hope that the senior team’s next Nations Cup assignment against Liberia on September 4 would not only bring three points on the field but also attract another capacity crowd.

“We just want to thank everyone who came out in their numbers to support the team, the gate charges were kept at rates which we felt were affordable and also given the background of the team’s previous results.
“We would also like to thank the fans for their discipline and camaraderie.

“Although most tickets were sold at the turnstiles, we believe that the pre-sales (which generated US$8 376 from 1 476 tickets) also helped and we are looking at having more of those in future games.
“In terms of plugging loopholes we brought in cashiers from the banks and there was very little leakage because the finance committee did a commendable and thorough job.

“It is a pity we could not break even because of the huge direct match expenses and we hope the public will appreciate the challenges that we continue to face in hosting matches of such magnitude,” Mashingaidze said.

The Zifa chief executive said they had also used some of the revenue they had generated to pay for the Warriors winning bonuses and appearance fees.
Zifa ensured they paid the players and their technical team a few hours after the match.

The players were paid US$2 000 each with Zifa president Cuthbert Dube having pledged an additional US$1 500 to each of them for the victory.
Zifa also paid the Warriors US$12 000 in appearance fees with US$50 000 being used to cater for the winning bonuses.

The national team’s expenses that included the costs of camping and daily allowances chewed up another US$7 250.
Given that Zifa are cash strapped, the soccer mother body had to rely on what they generated from the turnstiles at Rufaro to pay for the service charges, ground rentals and all the expenses directly linked to the Warriors’ showdown against Mali.

Harare City Council, who own Rufaro, walked away with US$25 261 for ground hire, the Sport and Recreation Commission made US$7 482 from their six-percent levy.
Another US$6 235 was paid to the Confederation of African Football as part of their five percent levy and while Fifa’s two percent levy meant that US$2 494 was paid to the world soccer controlling body.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police charged US$5 122 for the security they provided at the stadium while the private security costs were US$3 120.
Although they managed to meet most of their direct match expenses, including paying the players, Mashingaidze said Zifa were now exploring different initiatives of raising revenue such as touchline advertising.

“For the Liberia game we want to have a re-look at revenue from perimeter advertising and the sale of more replicas so that we maximise revenue outside of gate takings.
“We are not happy with the arrangement that exists between the council and Askeland media which does not involve us.

“But we had an overwhelming response for the replicas and we now want to ensure that we have two types of replicas where we cater for the affluent class and the general public who happen to be the bulk of our supporters.

“We are expecting a big consignment later this month including the away strips which will be bottle green jerseys and another which will have white jerseys,” Mashingaidze said.
The national Under-23 side who face South Africa in an All-Africa Games final qualifier on June 25, Mashingaidze said, will be the first to use the national teams’ new away strip.