Jessica defends playing home games 'away'

Kaizer Chiefs marketing director Jessica Motaung has explained why the club's decision to play six of their 15 home league fixtures away from their backyard, FNB Stadium, wasn't a problem for their season ticket holders.

Chiefs beat Sekhukhune United 1-0 in their last of three home league fixtures at Moses Mabhida Stadium at the weekend. Amakhosi's partnership with eThekwini municipality requires them to play three league fixtures at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Chiefs also have a deal with Polokwane local municipality to host three games at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

“We are a national brand, so we always make sure that all our supporters have access to us. From the start, the season ticket holders know that FNB Stadium will host nine league games as we have to take other games to Durban and Polokwane,'' Motaung said.

“They can also access the games in Durban and Polokwane, so it's not a problem. They know from the start that the package has nine league games at FNB Stadium and that's good value for money.”

In recent times, Chiefs' peers and rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have never played their home league fixtures away from their cities, establishing slaughterhouses. One would argue that playing at fixed home venues has, to a certain extent, given Pirates and Sundowns the edge over Chiefs.

As much as Motaung cited “the importance of being accessible to all their fans countrywide” as one of the reasons they play other games in Durban and Polokwane, she implied that sometimes they're forced to move away from FNB Stadium, owned by Stadium Management SA (SMSA), due to the venue hosting other events like concerts.

“We must be accessible to all our fans countrywide as we are loved in all provinces but playing in three different stadiums is also impacted by several things; scheduling, understanding that SA is unique as we don't own our stadiums, so the availability of the stadium is important because there may be other events because SA stadiums are commercial entities,'' Motaung said.

SMSA managing director Bertie Grobbelaar said they negotiate with Chiefs at the start of the season as to how many games they'll take to other provinces.

“Beginning of the season, we plan with Chiefs and see how many games they are taking, so there have never been problems,'' Grobbelaar said.

FNB Stadium hosted Green Day, The Offspring & Fokofpolisiekar concert on Sunday. Grobbelaar admitted it was a challenge to get the pitch ready for Chiefs' Sunday Nedbank Cup last 32 fixture against lower division side Free Agents.

“That's a challenge. We're working hard to recover the pitch after the concert. We didn't sleep throughout the night, removing the pitch cover. The proof will be on the pudding on Sunday,'' he said.

SowetanLIVE