Impasse puts spanner in the works

THE standoff between Ajax Cape Town and the Premier Soccer League over a venue for Saturday’s match against crowd-pullers Kaizer Chiefs is threatening to bungle ticket sales for this highly anticipated encounter.

Three days before the Absa Premiership match between top-of-thetable Chiefs and mid-table Ajax‚ not a single ticket has been sold as the Cape Town club is yet to secure a venue for the fixture.

The fixture on ticket outlet Computicket is marked “not open”‚ meaning tickets for this clash are not yet on sale.

A Computicket consultant also confirmed to Times Media Digital that ticket sales for this match have been put on hold.

Ajax’s home venue Cape Town Stadium is unavailable because of a musical festival.

The Cape Town club attempted to take the match to Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium but the PSL refused‚ leaving Ajax with no choice but to settle for the 21 500 capacity Athlone Stadium.

“It is either Athlone Stadium on Saturday or the game has to be postponed.

“It is really a difficult situation‚ but in the meantime we can’t sell tickets because we don’t have the authority to sell tickets‚” the club said on Tuesday.

Ajax are concerned Athlone will be too small and that lives could be in danger if the game goes ahead.

“We are extremely concerned because we have to put the safety of the people first.”

But of more concern for the Urban Warriors is the financial windfall the club will enjoy by hosting Chiefs at a much bigger venue.

Chiefs’ last two visits to the Cape Town Stadium have seen crowds averaging 35 000.

With Chiefs top of the log and Saturday being the start of the end of the month‚ Ajax were eyeing an opportunity to make a killing through gate-takings at the Cape Town Stadium. — TMG