BULAWAYO - Organisers of the COSAFA Senior Challenge here have been embarrassed after fans stayed away from the first double header on Sunday at Barbourfields Stadium. The first match featured Botswana and the Comoros with Swaziland and the Seychelles playing later in the day. Soon after the two matches, the Local Organising Committees media and communications sub-committee said it had now resolved to give schoolchildren in uniform free entry. The crowd barely numbered 1 000 during the double header.
The organizers were hoping for at least 6 500 fans at the two games – 5 000 for the rest of the ground at US$2 each (about R15), 1 000 for the wings at US$4 each (about R60) and 500 for the VIP at US$15 each (about R112.50 ).
Timothy Shongwe, the COSAFA Competitions chairman acknowledged the low turnout and attributed it to lack of information on the matches taking place in Bulawayo. I think, maybe, just maybe, there was too much focus on Zimbabwe playing in Harare and not the games here (Bulawayo). From the adverts I have seen on local television, they are only talking about Zimbabwe and no other team. Its not that all fans want to watch Zimbabwe, I am sure there are students and workers from other countries who want to watch their teams. So they need all that information on TV, radio and the newspapers, Shongwe said.
ZIFA chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya was in Bulawayo on Sunday and left for Harare on Monday morning to watch the Warriors play Lesotho. It is a learning process for us, we will do better to canvas for the next games, but I think fans should also support the games, she said, adding that by the nature of the draw, the Warriors had to play in Harare.
If Zimbabwe qualifys for the quarterfinals, they will play in Bulawayo.
On the stands, there were two groups of fans – the colourful Batswana, who had arrived in the morning, and Swazis who had arrived 24 hours earlier. The combined group of supporters outnumbered the local fans.
Post published in: Football