Sulom, TNM call on fans to embrace e-ticketing

Super League of Malawi (Sulom) says there is a need for a massive marketing and awareness campaign if football fans are to embrace digital payment.

Despite ease of use, the number of soccer fans adopting e-ticketing remains very low, Nation on Sunday has established.

Currently, the sphere of sports is continuously expanding in the country as e-ticketing has made it possible for fans to purchase tickets quickly and easily.

But most of the soccer fans are reluctant to adopt the technology.

For example, the game between Mafco and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers grossed K7.3 million of which only K29 000 came from e-ticketing. This is the trend with most games so far.

Sulom general secretary Wi l l i ams Banda in an interview agreed that there is a need for collaboration among stakeholders.

“Enhanced marketing of e-ticketing with collaborated efforts from key stakeholders is the game changer and the way to go. The Mpamba card is a multi-use card and it should not be viewed otherwise. There is a need for joint efforts with sponsors, clubs and ground owners for security,” he said.

An electronic ticket, often known as an e-ticket, is a digital version of a conventional paper ticket.

E-ticketing has been touted by Sulom and clubs as the sure way of mitigating gate revenue fraud.

League sponsors TNM said the new technology will eventually be embraced by fans as it is convenient.

TNM head of brand and marketing Madalitso Jonazi in an interview said digital payment i s one of the most significant aspects of technological evolution in the game.

He, however, confessed that being a new innovation it requires time.

Said Jonazi: “The process of getting supporters on e-ticketing is progressing well and the numbers are picking up, but being a new innovation which requires a total shift in fans behaviour when it comes to ticket purchase we are still pushing to get to 100 percent e-ticketing.

“We will keep pushing and on-boarding customers, but we are still pushing awareness to fans on the benefits of adopting the solution. We need support from all stakeholders, including the clubs to ensure we get to 100 percent e-ticketing, it is our wish to do this before the end of this season.”

Silver Strikers fan Alex Matabwa says the problem is not limited to football alone

“To me, I think there is this reservation about technology among Malawians when it comes to money. You will see people queuing outside and inside banks despite many technologies on digital transactions. But gradually people will embrace this because digital payment is really convenient,” he said.

Nyasa Big Bullets acting chief executive officer Albert Chigoga has said they are committed to mobilising their supporters to embrace digital technologies in purchasing tickets. “The migration to e-ticketing aligns very well with what we have always subscribed to as a football club. There are no two ways about it. This system has more benefits including combating fraud and general efficiency. As a club we will join the activation to sensitise our supporters to embrace it,” he said.