With more top-flight teams in the province, KwaZulu-Natal gets more attention than ever, with DStv Premiership fixtures coming thick and fast.
It, therefore, demands that teams and media improve how they serve football to ensure the game’s growth.
The season’s first two weeks have been met with a fascinating appetite for the game. The province has, so far, hosted nine matches and Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have each made their first trip to KZN.
They’ve both played Royal AM, and the province’s fans have already been treated to a Derby pitting Lamontville Golden Arrows and Richards Bay FC as an opener of the season.
Of course, the first nine fixtures have left many questions lingering about the ongoing challenges of luring fans into the stadiums to rally behind the teams.
Bizarrely, you find the VIP and Suites full than the stands, and the game has become more inclusive to certain classes than the ordinary fans, who spend their hard-earned money to back their teams.
Out of nine opening matches in the, only three have witnessed a decent crowd, and, justifiably, one would argue it is because those games involved the Soweto giants.
As much as I agree, the question remains, what is KZN doing to promote its games? How’s the relationship with media, the sector used to promote their games and push ticket sales?
KZN is home to Ukhozi FM, with over 8 million listeners, with 1.7 million of those regular listeners of the sports show. The province has the number one regional station in South Africa, two prominent IsiZulu newspapers and countless community media houses willing to work with the five teams to promote their games and fill those stadiums to motivate players to do well and compete.
How many KZN teams take media seriously? Teams that would host media open days for interviews ahead of their home games to attract more fans and communicate about ticket sales?
Why is it so hard to promote the most loved sport in the country while it is so easy to promote other events? Is football harder to be promoted, or do teams not have the right people to create hype ahead of their games? Or maybe the problem is with provincial football media?
Now KZN has more teams, and the attitude must change. We need to serve the province better. There should be a good relationship between clubs and media, easily accessible to attract more fans to the stadiums.
There is a need to rebuild that football culture so teams can improve even financially, and the province’s economy can also get a boost.
Teams such as TS Galaxy, Cape Town City, Stellenbosch, and Baroka FC have mastered the art of promoting their games through media opening days or scheduled interviews ahead of their home games.
I suppose it is something the province can learn because KZN people love their teams. However, for that to be seen on the stands, teams need to serve them better and have a better relationship with them.
The communication and marketing departments need to be better, and journalists must also do justice by doing more to respect their craft.
