Blantyre derby earnings drop
Shrinking of the reopened Kamuzu Stadium capacity from 25 000 to 16 500 affected the earnings of the Blantyre derby which grossed K3 854 090 on Sunday, down from the first round’s K4.3 million raked in at the same venue.
Expenses reduced the gross to the net of K2 624 090 with 3-0 winners Big Bullets and losers Mighty Wanderers each pocketing K666 022 50.
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and FAM received K262 409 with the Sports Council pocketing K131 204.
From the gross, K1 230 000 went into expenses, including K329 000 to police officers, K166 500 to stewards while a network of the two teams’ fans who were maintaining law and order received K99 000.
There were also other payments, including Saint Jones Ambulance K15 000 and ball boys K2 000, according to the gate collections sheet which The Nation has seen.
The open terraces cost was hiked up to K500 from K200.
Bullets general secretary Higger Mkandawire said the earnings are Super League clubs’ main cash cow; hence, government needed to review its ‘high’ 25 percent cut from the gate earnings.
“We are still not satisfied as we spend a lot on upkeep and training allowances. In developed football countries, teams supplement their income with other services and products, but in Malawi, gate revenue is our main source of income. Despite getting its 25 percent, government is still unable to improve stadium conditions,” said Mkandawire.
Commenting on the revenue, Sulom general secretary Williams Banda on Monday said there was a long way before teams can benefit fully from gate revenue.
“The gate revenue cushions the teams’ expenses and to some teams, this is a core source of income. Pre-ticket sales is a good idea, but there is need to improve on the revenue collection and sharing mechanism,” said Banda.
Another league game at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday had Blantyre United and Bvumbwe Research, who lost 2-1, pocketing K30 000 each. United administrator Lawson Nakoma said there was a jump in the earnings.
“If we had played at Kalulu Stadium, we could have earned between K3 000 and K6 000. The K30 000 is better considering that we were not up against crowd-pullers. If properly managed, gate collections can go a long way in boosting teams’ coffers, but as it is, playing is almost for charity,” said Nakoma.
In comparison, Saturday’s Lilongwe derby between hosts Civo United and Silver Strikers grossed K1.5 million from which the teams received K313 000 each.
