The Premier Soccer League will not adjust the ticket prices when the fans return to the stadiums early next month.
The long-awaited return of football plans will start on Friday, 8 April, when Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila take on SuperSport United in a Nedbank Cup quarterfinal match at Thohoyandou Stadium.
It costs a minimum of R40 to watch top-flight football, while it’s R20 for the first division.
While announcing the return of fans via a press briefing at the PSL offices on Tuesday, PSL Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza explained why the league opted to keep the ticket prices as they are.
“We can’t reduce the prices. Just to stage an event and comply with SACIA requirements, you need R 200 000. Other sporting codes charge hundreds, some two hundred and something; they can afford to reduce the prices,” explained Dr Khoza.
“We have been consistent in understanding that the people that are supporting us are not well-endowed with resources, so that’s why we must try to keep the prices at the level where they can afford. With all the challenges, worse with what is happening now in the country in terms of how much the cost of petrol is going to be, all other costs that go with it.
“We have kept it at a level that is going to be affordable, at the expense of the clubs sometimes. That’s why I salute some of the clubs or most of the clubs for the sacrifices they are making, which we don’t talk about. What it takes to stage an event, what money do you have to spend to comply? So as we speak now, we are imposing other conditions in terms of compliance, with extra costs,” he said.
“The question is where is (money) coming from because the last two, three years we have not had any income coming in.”
