BB game beats PIS record
The Presidential Cup quarter-final game between Big Bullets and Bvumbwe Research has beat this edition’s record of gate takings having grossed an estimated K2 million (about $200 000) on Sunday at Kamuzu Stadium.
With the terraces filled to capacity, the quarter-finalists got K350 000 (about $1 400) each, according to figures sourced from the cup’s main desk officer Casper Jangale on Monday.
Escom United and Kamuzu Barracks, who curtain-raised the match, pocketed K75 000 (about $300) each.
“This is the highest that a Presidential Cup game has raised this season and we owe it to the fans for turning up in large numbers. We tried so much that all the teams, including those who had the Super League assignment should benefit,†said Jangale.
Bullets general secretary Higger Mkandawire yesterday said, since the People’s Team does not own a ground to beat the syndicate that perpetuates gate fraud, the club cannot do anything.
“We are never content with the gate proceeds, but what can we do? We cannot beat the system,†said Mkandawire.
This season, Bullets earned the highest from gate proceeds in the Blantyre derby against Mighty Wanderers in the Super League. The giants shared some K800 000 (about $3 200) each in the match that raised some K4.4 million (about $17 600). From an equally high profile Super League match against Silver Strikers last week at the same venue, Bullets could only get K193 000 (about $772).
For Bvumbwe team manager Richard Lister, Sunday’s quarter-final provided the rookies’ biggest pay in any domestic competition since their promotion from the Peter Mutharika Southern Region Football League Premier Division.
“We brought our supporters in five trucks provided by our well-wishers in Bvumbwe. We did not spend much on preparations, so this could be a profit. Before this game, the highest amount we collected was K56 000 (about $224) again against Bullets in the Super League,†said Lister.
In most games, Bvumbwe earn some K20 000 (about $20) playing in Zomba and even as low as K6 000 (about $24) in venues such as Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo.
