Nomads, Masters query K19m gate revenue
Be Forward Wanderers and Masters Security have questioned Football Association of Malawi (FAM) on the K19 million gate revenue from Saturday’s Carlsberg Cup final played at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Masters won their maiden cup 5-4 on post-match penalties after playing out a one-all draw in regulation time.
Both teams and ground owners received K3.9 million each while FAM and Malawi National Council of Sports shared K3.9 million.
In a letter addressed to FAM general secretary (GS) Alfred Gunda, Wanderers GS Mike Butao said the gate collections did not reflect the turnout.
Spectators paid K2 000 for Open Stands, K3 000 for MBC Stand, K5 000 covered stands and K8 000 VIP.
“We protest in the strongest terms against the low revenue realised from the 2018 Carlsberg Cup final game. All Wanderers stands were packed to the brim. One of the other two stands was also fully packed with pockets of empty space seen in the final stand,” reads the letter in part.
“At a minimum of K2 000 per ticket, it is unacceptable to make less than K20 million from such capacity.”
He said the clubs expected a better collection since Nitel printed the tickets, handled the cash, manned the gates to check the tickets and did the reconciliation.
The Nomads also alleged that two people, who were caught selling tickets at a lower price, confessed getting them from the people manning the gates.
He warned that clubs would be uncomfortable working with Nitel until they start selling tickets online and scanning them at the gates.
Masters GS Zachariah Nyirenda also said they were disappointed with the revenue.
“We are engaging football authorities [at FAM] to zero in on what really happened. We know that there will be no change, but we want to express our concern,” he said.
Nyirenda added: “Actually, we are working together with Be Forward Wanderers.”
Gunda could not be reached for comment while the association’s commercial and marketing director Limbani Matola declined to comment on the concerns when contacted yesterday, saying he was travelling.
