Tiya promises advance ticket selling
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda has promised to build on the increasing gate takings if re-elected at the annual general meeting (AGM) slated for March 14 at a venue yet to be announced.
Somba-Banda said if re-elected he would step up efforts to ensure advance ticket sales, which are currently restricted to international games, extend to league matches with such sales targeting grocery shops and filling stations.
He also cited tightened controls at match venues and engaging clubs on commercialisation as his other agenda.
“We have done a good stride in maximising the revenue from the gates through outsourcing and strengthening controls at the gates during the past four years. It was not easy considering that we had to change the then status quo. Going forward, if re-elected, I will continue pursuing the revenue maximisation drive for the teams in two fronts.”
A gross of K182 805 750 was realised from gate collections of the league games played in 2014 with 15 teams sharing K65 475 105, representing a jump from K132 696 903 which the 28 games each team played fetched last season. The figure had also risen from K58 969 705, K17 938 274 and K7 269 087 in 2012, 2011 and 2010 seasons respectively.
“The above two points [advance ticket selling and commercialisation] were not delivered in the first term as the first term was a period of putting controls and the house in order so that we should be able to implement the revenue maximisation and commercialisation in order. Just like a baby, it cannot start running before it crawls. We, therefore, had to put a conducive environment first before implementation of the two points.”
However, Azam Tigers chairperson Sydney Chikoti has advised Sulom to apply the gate management measures across the board, instead of sparing giant clubs for fear of their troublesome fans.
Incumbent Sulom president Innocent Bottoman has promised to unveil his manifesto ahead of the polls.
Meanwhile, Southern Region Football Association (SRFA) treasurer Daudi Ntanthiko has claried that said he will vye for the position of vice president.
General secretary Williams Banda is also reportedly interested in defending his seat.
