Robson Sharuko
Editor
ONLY 3 720 fans paid to watch Dynamos settle for a goalless draw against Bulawayo Chiefs at Rufaro on Sunday while, across town, more than 10 000 women paid to grace the latest Doek & Slay event.
One gate only sold 30 tickets while just 46 people entered the stadium using another gate.
The best gate saw 1540 people entering the stadium.
The Glamour Boys have been struggling to woo their army of fans back to the stadium largely because of the team’s struggles, in the past decade, in which they have failed to win the league championship.
Dynamos are the most successful football club in this country, with a record 22 league titles, and their fans routinely used to fill Rufaro when the Glamour Boys were flying.
Some have claimed that the tough economic environment has contributed to dwindling attendance figures in the capital.
However, good number of fans continue to be seen at Barbourfields when Highlanders are playing.
The Doek & Slay event at Alex Sports Club, which is ironically where Dynamos train, showed that people are still prepared to pay a premium where they feel their entertainment is guaranteed.
The cheapest ticket for the Doek & Slay event was US$10 while the cheapest ticket for Dynamos’ league game against Chiefs on Sunday was US$3.
This means that every three people who paid for the cheapest tickets to watch the DeMbare game were equivalent to one person who paid for the cheapest ticket to be part of the Doek & Slay event.
Still, the Doek & Slay event attracted more than two-and-half times the number of people who flocked into Rufaro for the league match.
Only US$11 910 was generated from the gate receipts and, after all the expenses had been taken care of, Dynamos were left with just US$2 006,72.
The total direct match expenses were US$5 818,15 and they don’t include the US$1 786 which Dynamos paid to the City Council for the hire of Rufaro and the levies for the SRC, ZIFA and the PSL.
Dynamos last match at Rufaro, when they were the away team, had attracted more than 9 000 fans largely because of the Khama Billiat effect.
Thousands of fans were frustrated at the gates and ended up returning home.
It shows that fans are still prepared to pay if they feel they will be entertained and the numbers at Rufaro on Sunday, coming against a background where DeMbare had won their last match, show the fans don’t believe the current Glamour Boys team can guarantee them the entertainment they need.
The post ONLY 3720 FANS PAY TO WATCH DEMBARE. . . More than 10k pay to attend Doek & Slay event appeared first on H-Metro.
Original post on H Metro