Danito NSUBUGA
Fans in the Uganda premier league are bound to experience an increase in ticket prices for the upcoming season that is slated to kick off early next month.
With a few teams confirming changes in venues where they will be hosting games like Express FC and URA moving to the revamped Nakivubo, Villa moving to Namboole and Kitara moving back to Hoima and BUL shifting to Najjembe where they will co-host with the promoted Lugazi FC, there is an imminent change in the ticket prices.
Recently there was a backlash from the media and fans when Wakiso Giants slapped a 20,000/= price tag on tickets for their pre season friendly match against Tanzania’s Kagera Sugar at Kabaka Kyabaggu where many looked at it as an attempt to punch the face of the few who watch these matches.
Another evident example happened last weekend when SC Villa inexcusably asked fans to part with 50,000/= if they were to watch the preliminary CAF champions league encounter against Ethiopia’s CBE.
Wakiso Giants’ Atagenda asserts that clubs encounter heavy daily pay vouchers which tantamount to call for fans to also dig a little deeper in their pockets.
“As you know, running a football club is not just about assembling a team and playing matches; it involves a significant financial commitment. Every match day, clubs incur a wide range of expenses to ensure that the game is played in a safe, professional, and enjoyable environment.
He says.
The Wakiso club’s president went further to give a brief breakdown of match day spending which averages to a minimum of 3 million ugx.
“Recently, some clubs have had to raise ticket prices to 20,000 UGX, and we understand that this has caused concern among some fans. However, this decision is not made lightly. It is a necessary step to ensure that clubs can continue to operate, pay players on time, and provide the high-quality football experience that you deserve. Without adequate funding, clubs struggle to meet their financial obligations, leading to delays in player salaries and, in the worst cases, the potential collapse of the club.”
He added
WILL THE RISE IN TICKET PRICES REFLECT IN AN INCREASE IN CLUBS’ REVENUE?
As Atagenda pointed out in his letter that Wakiso Giants’ biggest match day collection was 9.2 million shs when they hosted Kitara and the lowest being less than 100 dollars when they hosted UPDF FC.
Judging by that statistic, what would be the component of the home fans’ contribution? This gives birth to a few questions…
• Why not embark more on marketing these matches before price increases come in?
• Have the clubs explored any efforts in finding other sources of revenue other than match day tickets? Corporate funding is an ideal solution if achieved.
• Can the federation find a means of financially supporting these clubs (They have previously done so in terms of giving aid to the clubs that represent Uganda on the continent, the program was scrapped off unannounced)
Express FC got a very low turn up after charging 20,000/= for the friendly match against FC Leopards last week. It is believed they will be charging the same amounts for match days as dictated by HAM.
Villa’s attempt to take the route did not yield any fruits during that match against CBE and that should act as a noteworthy case study.
