Zifa seeks stadium hire fees reduction
THE new Zifa board will go all out to engage local authorities who own a majority of football stadiums seeking a reduction in fees for stadium use by clubs.
Stadium fees have been a thorn in the flesh for most Premiership teams with Highlanders and Dynamos having embarked on a crusade to have the authorities reduce the fees.
Local authorities have been the biggest beneficiaries from football matches despite bearing little match day expenses and while not much improvements are made to these facilities.
Bulawayo City Council charges a flat 20 percent or $2 000 for the use of Barbourfields while it costs just over $600 to use Luveve while Harare City Council reduced their fees to 15 percent following a request by Dynamos.
The fees have seen councils taking the biggest chunk of entrance fees more than clubs who would have incurred various expenses leading to games.
Zifa president, Felton Kamambo revealed one of their targets would be to lobby for the reduction in stadium hire levies.
In a communiqué released after a board meeting held last Friday, the new Zifa boss said they intend investing the amount saved in development of the game.
“Engaging city councils and stadium owners with a proposition to slash levies they are collecting from football clubs, and then reinvest the difference into hosting regions and youth football. As a sign of goodwill, Zifa will also use its levy from the Premier Soccer League to finance operations of all PSL clubs which abide to club licensing dictates of having junior teams in the regional leagues,” read the statement released after the first meeting of the new board.
In 2014 then Highlanders chief executive officer, Ndumiso Gumede embarked on a campaign to have council and the police, who get the biggest revenues from gate takings reduce their fees but hit a brick wall with both bodies refusing to budge on their stance.
At the time, Highlanders did not get any backing from the football authorities and it is hoped a move by Zifa could have a bigger effect.
Highlanders at the time released statistics showing that despite developing the product that football fans go to watch at stadia they actually get the least income from the paying public, with other service providers and statutory bodies raking in the bulk of entrance fees.
According to figures released that year (2014) Bosso grossed $17 372 in a game against Black Rhinos, but after deductions the club only remained with $6 224 with the police taking $1 434 and the council pocketing $3 474.
The rest of the funds went to other service providers that include cashiers, private security, the PSL, Zifa and the Sports and Recreation Commission.