The Blantyre derby that featured domestic football powerhouses—Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers—grossed K7.6 million from gate revenue at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday which was one of the highest in recent times.
On the other hand, the capital city derby between Silver Strikers and Civo United on Saturday grossed K2.045 million at Silver Stadium.
In the Blantyre derby, each team received about K1.2 million, which the teams felt was on the lower side, compared to the gross revenue.
However, Bullets general secretary Harold Fote and the Nomads vice-treasurer Chiyembekezo Zidana said while the gross figure was quite satisfactory, there was laxity in the control of people entering through the VIP and Covered Stands gates.
Said Fote: “The figure realised somehow matches the big turnout, but had we been more strict at the VIP and Covered Stands, the revenue could have been more because even officials from both teams were facilitating free entry of friends and relations which is very discouraging.”
Zidana said: “There was an improvement in the gross made, but there is need to tighten up entry at the VIP and Covered Stands. I stood there for about 30 minutes and I could see many people entering for free.”
In the Lilongwe derby, the teams got about K550 000 each and Silver GS Mike Tembo said the figure did not reflect the turnout.
“We were disappointed because it should have been much more, the turn-out was big and we are considering engaging another outsourcing firm in our next game against Big Bullets,” said Tembo.
