The method behind late show madness

In a curious move, the PSL have switched the Nedbank Cup final between Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban to Saturday, June 24.

What the enactment of what now effectively becomes a “late, late show” is that the Nedbank Cup will now be completed a month after the end of the Premier League programme, which reaches a point of finality this afternoon when all 16 teams will be involved.

One club official described the postponement to a period out of the borders of the recognised season as “plain crazy” – and should never have taken place.

So what is behind the controversial move? Strongman chairman Irvin Khoza says the delay has been forced on the PSL because of the myriad Caf international and club competition fixtures – which are clogging up the forthcoming few weeks.

“We simply found ourselves in a corner,” added Khoza, “with no direction to move in which to fit in the final shortly after the league is completed”.

Many, however, have suggested the “late, late show” has been put into place more as a sop to the sponsors, who are intent on gaining maximum publicity and exposure for what is the 10th anniversary of the competition under their financial aegis.

So if the final was staged on June 3 – initially the allocated date – the sponsors’ focus would have been limited by the widespread attention currently on matters related to Bafana Bafana.

But is this sufficient reason for manipulating recognised and accepted procedures and bending backwards to pander to sponsors?