There’s a mysterious insatiable appetite and demand for local football tickets that is spreading across the country like wildfire. The football fraternity is experiencing something that has never been part of Mzansi in the PSL era, something that has always been a pipedream for club bosses for many years.
Thwack rapper Cassper Nyovest may have started “Fill Up the Dome” and “Fill Up FNB Stadium” movement, but in diski circles, the “Sold Out” phenomenon has gained
traction and seems to be unstoppable.
With the start of the new season, especially after the arrival of new coach Nasreddine Nabi at Kaizer Chiefs, the spectacle is growing in leaps and bounds.
Chiefs fans were expecting an instantaneous revolution and a return to their glory days but alas, it was not to be.
Even though Nabi is still cooking, and his pots seem to be simmering forever, the supporters have not been discouraged. They seem to have just said: “Argh, what the hell, we’ve been closed out of the SA football jamboree for the past 10 years, we might as well join the razzmatazz and not let the party bus pass us by.”
Even if they are not likely to win anything pretty soon, Amakhosi fans have joined in and added more colour and splendour to the marvel on the grandstands.
The scenes at the recent Mamelodi Sundowns v Orlando Pirates game at Loftus Versfeld were majestic. When the champions thumped Chiefs 4-0 at FNB Stadium and 1-0 in Atteridgeville. On all these occasions, there wasn’t an empty seat to be seen. It is a feather in the cap for SA football.
The crazy Bloemfontein Celtic fans are also back, having adopted Marumo Gallants as their own. They filled the stadiums to capacity when they played Chiefs and Pirates in the league. Not to mention the Soweto derby last month when more than 100 000 supporters crammed into the calabash.
Even more strangely, Bafana Bafana tickets have become a much-wanted commodity. Back in the days, when Safa gave them out for free, people still did not want them, and the
national team would go on and play in front of empty seats.
We saw the recent games in Bloemfontein against Zimbabwe; we saw the same electrifying atmosphere in Gqeberha at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and also in Cape Town.
While this is enchanting for local football, there is a ticking time bomb that should be
heeded. The excitement could easily turn into disaster if proactive measures are not taken.
The ugly scenes at the Soweto derby and last week’s mini riots when Gallants were
panel-beating Pirates 2-0 at the Free State Stadium, need pre-emptive methods to avoid a disaster that could leave the game in a state of mourning.
These days tickets are sold out within hours, and those who cannot buy them, go to the
stadiums to cause chaos.
Bahlabane ba Ntwa’s impressive performance against the Buccaneers was blemished by unruly supporters who broke the gates, clashed with police and stormed into the arena.
More than a dozen fans were injured in the chaos.
“According to the joint operations committee, 14 people sustained injuries, with eight taken to hospital for further medical attention, while six were treated on-site. Additionally, seven individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident,” said the club.
This should be seen as a warning sign and not be taken for granted. We have had major disasters in football. People must start having a serious conversation with regard to preventative measures. This is a ticking time bomb, and it cannot be left unattended to.
