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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) has assured football lovers that gate charges will be reduced when stadium control restrictions are relaxed.

Football fans will pay an equivalent of US$10 at the prevailing interbank rate for the cheapest ticket to watch Castle Lager PSL matches from this weekend.

Tickets for the grandstand are pegged at US$15 while the VVIP area will cost US$20.

The official interbank rate was 1:98.90 yesterday, which means the cheapest ticket for the weekend games is $989.

The cheapest ticket for the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals last weekend was US$20 and US$50 for VVIP.

“Presently, we have been cleared to allow 30 percent of the stadium capacity, but once there’s more relaxation and more people are allowed into the stadium, then this will naturally lead to reduction of gate charges. What we must all appreciate is that organising football in post Covid-19 is expensive. Unfortunately, clubs haven’t been generating revenue for the past two years to cover some of those costs,” said PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele.

“Bills have increased and there is a need to have a medical doctor at each venue overseeing Covid-19 compliance. The league, depending on matches, has to assign two Covid-19 compliance officers in addition to the two coming from each club. We need sanitisation facilities for the fans; the clubs test every week and these gate charges are meant to cushion clubs. That money goes to the club. While we appreciate that fans are the lifeblood to football and our appeal to football lovers is please come and support your clubs,” he said.

Clubs are also paying US$3 per hour to the lowest ranked police officer assigned to a game, with top officials getting US$11 per hour. In the past, hourly rates were US$1 for a low-ranked cop, with top chiefs getting US$9.

Depending on the magnitude of the game, police officers’ deployment starts at 11am and they dismiss at 6pm.

Meanwhile, there have been mixed fans’ reactions to the league’s gate charges.

Paul Mbeke said: “To a certain extent $9 890 for the rest of the ground is justifiable because most people use parallel market rates, which is about US$6. Had the PSL said they wanted US$10 hard cash, then that would have been unfair to the fans.”

Petronella Ndlovu felt that the charges were too high.

“Some people can’t afford that money although they love football. The charges make one ask if it’s wise to go for the game or cover something at home,” said Ndlovu.

Polite Nyaumwa said if the charges are meant to restrict and control the number of people attending games to avoid a situation where football is a Covid-19 super spreader, then they are justified.

“The leaders can’t be reckless by making tickets cheaper. How will they control the fans because if the charges are low, more people turn up? While as fans we want to be many inside the stadium, our health matters,” said Nyaumwa. — @ZililoR