22 November 2021
Jeremiah Harrison
Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe Castle Premier League has reverted back to the old admission fees of US$3 per head to watch a football match in the country.
This came as the stadia remained empty on Match Day 1 when exorbitant Gate fess were charged.
Fans shunned the charges.
This is the second time the PSL has reduced the gate charges, inside two weeks in a bid to bring back fans to local football matches.
Last week the Zimbabwe’s top flight Premier Soccer League was charging US$20 to watch PSL matches.
There was an outcry from fan on social media and the PSL did not reduce the fees despite the critism.
After a very low turn out by fans was noticed in stadiums and the PSL affiliated teams were at risk of running losses, there has been a revision of entry charges which will now be pegged at US$3 per game for the rest of the ground, upper grandstand will be US$5 and VIP ticket will go for US$10.
All these amounts can be paid in local currency at the official exchange rate.
The PSL said in arriving at the decision, it had consulted with various stakeholders who included club supporters’ associations.
“The Premier Soccer League has engaged various stakeholders including club supporters’ associations concerning gate charges for PSL matches,” the PSL said.
“While the PSL notes that clubs suffered huge financial losses during the Covid-19 pandemic and continue to incur a lot of costs in preparing for matches, we also understand the need to make our matches appealing and affordable to football fans who are the heartbeat of the game,’’ said the PSL.
At the start of the 2021/22 season, the PSL announced that fans will part with US$10 for the rest of the ground, US$15 to occupy the grandstand and US$20 for the VIP.
The general populace is reeling under poverty and as such the US$10 fees were too much for fans noticed by the PSL.