Gate-takings rules in premiership under scrutiny
Football
The attendance of fans to matches and the purchasing of tickets has been one of the few ways football clubs make some few cents even if it means breaking the standard prices implementation rules.
The amount of money some football clubs charge at the gate when hosting home matches has come under scrutiny after allegations surfaced that several clubs are bypassing the standard ticket prices.
This follows the decision by the country’s football governing body last year to implement a N$30 fee for all premiership matches.
This publication understands, however, that football clubs continue to charge more than the stipulated ticket price during the 2024/25 Debmarine Namibia Premiership season.
There have been complaints that certain football clubs even go so far as to charge up to N$50 for high-profile matches.
These clubs argue that charging additional fees helps them generate some income, given that the sponsorship is not sufficient to sustain club operations.
A football club owner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they have no choice but to adjust prices in order to remain financially viable.
“I can tell you now that it never made sense—and still does not make sense—that some matches are priced at just N$30.
“It is not sustainable, because clubs already do not make enough money, and the grants are also insufficient to cover a club’s operational costs.
“That is why it’s important to charge an extra fee for matches expected to draw large crowds due to the profile of the teams involved,” the owner said.
In the past, football clubs were allowed to charge extra fees based on a classification system for matches.
However, the new Namibia Football Association (NFA) leadership, which took over recently, scrapped that system and implemented a standard ticket price aimed at making football more affordable for fans who cannot pay extra to watch matches.
The move was also intended to ensure uniform ticket pricing across all clubs in the country.
This decision, however, was not welcomed by many clubs, who argued that some fixtures hold more value than others and should therefore be priced differently.
This publication has been reliably informed that the NFA is allegedly aware that some football clubs continue to charge prices that exceed the standard rate.
Why the association has yet to put a complete stop to such practices remains unclear, with some alleging there are mixed feelings within the association’s hierarchy regarding the matter.
This follows the decision by the country’s football governing body last year to implement a N$30 fee for all premiership matches.
This publication understands, however, that football clubs continue to charge more than the stipulated ticket price during the 2024/25 Debmarine Namibia Premiership season.
There have been complaints that certain football clubs even go so far as to charge up to N$50 for high-profile matches.
These clubs argue that charging additional fees helps them generate some income, given that the sponsorship is not sufficient to sustain club operations.
A football club owner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they have no choice but to adjust prices in order to remain financially viable.
“I can tell you now that it never made sense—and still does not make sense—that some matches are priced at just N$30.
“It is not sustainable, because clubs already do not make enough money, and the grants are also insufficient to cover a club’s operational costs.
“That is why it’s important to charge an extra fee for matches expected to draw large crowds due to the profile of the teams involved,” the owner said.
In the past, football clubs were allowed to charge extra fees based on a classification system for matches.
However, the new Namibia Football Association (NFA) leadership, which took over recently, scrapped that system and implemented a standard ticket price aimed at making football more affordable for fans who cannot pay extra to watch matches.
The move was also intended to ensure uniform ticket pricing across all clubs in the country.
This decision, however, was not welcomed by many clubs, who argued that some fixtures hold more value than others and should therefore be priced differently.
This publication has been reliably informed that the NFA is allegedly aware that some football clubs continue to charge prices that exceed the standard rate.
Why the association has yet to put a complete stop to such practices remains unclear, with some alleging there are mixed feelings within the association’s hierarchy regarding the matter.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article