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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

LOCAL football fans have hailed the Premier Soccer League’s decision to reduce gate charges for the 2023 Castle Lager championship season.

The cheapest ticket to watch a PSL game has been set at US$2 for the rest of the ground with those coming in to watch from the VIP wings parting with US$5 while the VIP charge is US$10.

All these monies are payable in local currency at the prevailing Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe auction rate.

Last season, fans were parting with US$3 for the rest of the ground, something that other schools of thought believed contributed to the low attendance figures.

An estimated least 7 000 fans paid their way to watch the Highlanders and ZPC Kariba at Barbourfields Stadium last Sunday with just over 4 000 making their way into the same venue for the Hwange-Dynamos clash the day before.

On Sunday, the Soweto End, which is occupied by Highlanders fans was black and white as Amahlolanyama supporters came to see their team for the first time in Bulawayo this season.

The day before, Mpilo End was all blue and white with Dynamos supporters backing their team.

Having been starved of topflight action, the first good crowd was registered on Saturday when Dynamos edged visiting Hwange 1-0 courtesy of a well-struck 70th minute goal by Tinashe Makanda.

Trust Jim, a staunch Dynamos supporter, who is also a member of the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association’s leadership heaped praises on the league and called on fans to turn up in their numbers.

“All along fans thought the US$3 was high to watch the quality of football displayed by local teams but now the league has reduced the charges and it’s now important that as fans we reciprocate the act by coming to the stadiums.

Big up to the PSL bosses who saw wisdom in reducing gate charges,” said Jim.

Nyasha Chiweshe challenged teams to give them value for their money with their displays.

“We thank the league for listening to fans’ pleas on gate charges, but now the onus is on the teams to give us value for our money.

Many times football will be boring, with so much faking of injuries just to waste the time. When we come to the stadium we want to watch quality entertaining football,” said Chiweshe.

United Kingdom-based Highlanders supporter, Thembani “Yena” Mpofu marvelled at the fans’ turnout for the Bosso clash with ZPC Kariba that ended 0-0. Mpofu challenged the Tshilamoya players to also match the passion displayed by the fans by recording positive results.

“Ubuhle beBosso ngabalandeli bayo (The beauty of Bosso is its followers). Even last season Bosso matches were always fairly subscribed.

In an era where teams are struggling to fill even two rows in a bay of a stadium at BF, Soweto and Mpankweni are almost full most times.

Bosso also have passionate “team away” fans who travel for away games and even dominate the home territories of those teams. But the team layo should keep positive results coming to keep fans coming through.”

Shamiso Ncube said: “The game belongs to the fans and now the clubs must make sure that their fans keep coming so that they make money by playing brilliant football. Otherwise, thanks to the PSL bosses who have seen wisdom in reducing gate charges.”

Mpumelelo Nkomazana felt that fans no longer have an excuse for missing local games.

“I think US$2 which is about R30 is a fair charge. Now R50 or US$3 can get you into the stadium and I think with some aggressive fan engagement programmes, clubs can get more supporters into the stadium.

Reducing gate charges alone without further marketing the games won’t work.

Even in the build-up to games there’s a need to hype up matches, hear what the players in camp are saying. As fans we can play our duties by attending the games,” Nkomazana said. -@ZililoR