Editors PickNational Sports

Bingu Stadium gets bonanza lion’s share

 

Bingu National Stadium (BNS) got the lion’s share of the Big Four Wafawafa Bonanza gate collections.

The matches  grossed K40 million out of which the stadium management got over K10 million while the four participating clubs pocketed K2.6 million each, organisers have said.

Silver Strikers, Kamuzu Barracks (KB), Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers organised the two-day tournament to fundraise for their operations as well as prepare for the new season.

The Nomads won the mini tournament after beating KB 2-0 in the finals.

KB goal under raid during the final match

According to the clubs, K25.7 million was realised on Saturday while the third play-off and final games on Sunday generated over K14 million.

“From these figures, the stadium was the biggest winner because it received the total of what all the clubs got. It is a shocking situation,” Bullets treasurer Chifundo Makande said. “I think in future, the stadium management should consider reducing its cut on fundraising games.”

Meanwhile, the clubs have expressed displeasure at Football Association of Malawi (FAM) taking a cut of K1.8 million.

The football governing body is entitled to a 10 percent cut from  official club games, but the clubs argue that these were only friendly matches.

KB team manager Francis Nthukwa Shawa complained: “This is killing the fundraising spirit among clubs. These are mere friendly matches and it doesn’t make sense for FAM to demand a share.”

Silver Strikers general secretary Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda also condemned FAM’s decision to collect a share, saying the body was supposed to be considerate.

“When clubs are making efforts to improve their finances it is sad that FAM acts as a stumbling block instead of creating a conducive environment for such initiatives. And we do not even know what this money will be used for,” he said.

But FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda said the organisers of the bonanza asked for a licence to hold the competition and it was stipulated in the licence that the soccer governing body would get a share.

“They should not complain now because the organisers got a licence and they were informed about the conditions. FAM deserved its share because it was not just something imposed on them,” he said.

The other gate collection recipient was Inter Media which helped in organising the bonanza. The Nomads will pocket an extra K1 million as winners. n

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