THE FNB Stadium is ready for the coming Premiership season party - as long as it's not at night.
Stadium Management, who run the day-to-day operations of the 2010 World Cup final venue, claim they have been left counting the cost of hosting midweek matches scheduled in the evening during the 2013-14 campaign.
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates - the biggest football clubs in the country - use home grounds under Stadium Management's care and both reported shrinking numbers during late night Absa Premiership encounters.
FNB and Orlando stadiums could not attract more than 3500 paying fans, said Stadium Management chief executive Jacques Grobbelaar yesterday.
"I'm made aware that the [PSL] board of governors have addressed the issue as well. We noticed that last year Chiefs and Pirates have drawn 3500 paid spectators on average per match. How low is that? When Chiefs hosted [Mamelodi] Sundowns we had 22000 fans and the [Soweto] derbies were sold out," said Grobbelaar.
He added Stadium Management made a plea to the two teams and the league to reduce the number of night games when they were handed a draft fixtures list.
"We sat down with the clubs and asked for a better scheduling of the matches. As far as Chiefs, we had nine games scheduled as weekday fixtures, which we asked the Premier League via the club to alter. So we are going to see more weekend matches because we believe midweek matches kicking off at 8pm have an impact on attendances. But we can only go that far. It's about providing a convenience factor as well. When our patrons leave at 11 o'clock at night they get home around 1 o'clock the next morning," Grobbelaar explained.
Low turnouts at football venues is not only a challenge at these two stadiums, he said, adding that televised matches also gave fans reason to stay home.
Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung confirmed the club would play all their home games at FNB Stadium, unless music concerts interfered.
No night games? Venues count costs of late fixtures
THE FNB Stadium is ready for the coming Premiership season party - as long as it's not at night.
Stadium Management, who run the day-to-day operations of the 2010 World Cup final venue, claim they have been left counting the cost of hosting midweek matches scheduled in the evening during the 2013-14 campaign.
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates - the biggest football clubs in the country - use home grounds under Stadium Management's care and both reported shrinking numbers during late night Absa Premiership encounters.
FNB and Orlando stadiums could not attract more than 3500 paying fans, said Stadium Management chief executive Jacques Grobbelaar yesterday.
"I'm made aware that the [PSL] board of governors have addressed the issue as well. We noticed that last year Chiefs and Pirates have drawn 3500 paid spectators on average per match. How low is that? When Chiefs hosted [Mamelodi] Sundowns we had 22000 fans and the [Soweto] derbies were sold out," said Grobbelaar.
He added Stadium Management made a plea to the two teams and the league to reduce the number of night games when they were handed a draft fixtures list.
"We sat down with the clubs and asked for a better scheduling of the matches. As far as Chiefs, we had nine games scheduled as weekday fixtures, which we asked the Premier League via the club to alter. So we are going to see more weekend matches because we believe midweek matches kicking off at 8pm have an impact on attendances. But we can only go that far. It's about providing a convenience factor as well. When our patrons leave at 11 o'clock at night they get home around 1 o'clock the next morning," Grobbelaar explained.
Low turnouts at football venues is not only a challenge at these two stadiums, he said, adding that televised matches also gave fans reason to stay home.
Chiefs manager Bobby Motaung confirmed the club would play all their home games at FNB Stadium, unless music concerts interfered.
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