Playing ball

CHERYL Roberts’ opinion piece, “City’s costly football event designed to serve wealthy elite” (June 19), refers.

This piece appears to be based on assumptions that are inaccurate. It is important to note that the City’s credentials in supporting football and its development are beyond question. More than 100 000 registered amateurs participate in 24 districts that make up the South African Football Association, Cape Town region.

All of these players participate on the more than 60 soccer fields, pitches and sport complexes across the city. These facilities are managed, maintained and delivered by the City to the residents to help foster and grow the sport at the most local of levels.

The writer singles out Ajax Cape Town as a special beneficiary. Ajax has a three-year deal with the City to play all of their tournaments at the Cape Town Stadium. It is the only Premier Soccer League club in the city at present. By virtue of the rules of international football tournaments, being at premier level is required as part of the negotiations for clubs to make use of the event as pre-season training sessions.

The price of R200 to R400 per ticket is kept at the same price as it was for the Manchester United game in 2012. More than 60 000 tickets were sold then. In the case of the Cape Town Cup, fans will be able to watch double-headers, thus getting twice as much football for the same price as three years ago.

The event and its format tick many boxes in the pursuit of our multifaceted strategy to grow and develop Cape Town. It is an international event and will include live global coverage, positioning Cape Town as a global events city on the continent. Councillor Garreth Bloor