Tshini!
Full-time supporter Botha Msila, former player Dumisa Ngobe and Baroka FC's Mduduzi Mdantsane recently featured on Soccer Laduma Radio to give their perspectives on why South African football is continuously haunted by the issue of empty stadiums.
Fans on Soccer Laduma's Facebook page also contributed their perspectives on why football fans don't attend games any more. Nzimande Benjy believes people still love football. According to Benjy, interest seems to be declining because of distances to the venue, among other things:
"People love football! If you take football to the townships, you will see that. One can't be travelling to the city at night to watch football. Secondly, matches are now playing on DStv channels, which is expensive. The interest in football will obviously decline."
- Blogger: Nzimande Benjy
Some fans believe that interest is declining because of the quality of football in the PSL. Se Nzo Section feels it is not worth paying the money to watch football at the stadium:
"R40.00 to [enter] the stadium and you [are] going to watch a boring 0-0 draw. And TV broadcasting has a bad influence."
- Blogger: Se Nzo Section
This seems to be widely-held opinion. Interest in going to the stadium is declining because of a lack of entertainment. Andile Professor Masiza also shares this sentiment and seems nostalgic about the past when South African football was marketed by the likes of Abdul Bhamjee:
"Simply no entertainment at all. We miss the days of Abdul Bhamjee. There's no way I'll go to the stadium at 11:00, sit there watching grass grow till 15:00, just to see a dull game. What happened to 'curtain-raisers'? Half-time entertainment?"
- Blogger: Andile Professor Masiza
Why do you think numbers at the stadiums are declining? Let us know what you think about this issue in the comments section below.
