Do you remember the excitement you first felt when the President of FIFA Sepp Blatter announced that the 2010 World Cup would be organized by South Africa? I still have the pictures in my head like it happened just yesterday. I remember how South Africans, White, Black, Indian, Coloured, Chinese all jumped for joy, I remember seeing that joyful smile from Nelson Mandela as the announcement was made. I could go on for the whole day just talking about how fantastic the atmosphere was on that day, 15 May 2004 to be precise. The celebrations could easily be likened to those when Mandela was released from Robben Island. It was a true realization of a dream for all of South Africa and the African continent.
Well back to now, the present, I was listening to Robert Marawa’s Discovery Sport Centre show on Metro FM while driving home from work. Today was interesting because he had Danny Jordaan, the CEO of the LOC as his guest and Jordaan shed some light on the ticket sales situation. He also reported that from his meeting in Zurich, the FIFA delegates were very happy with the progress the country has made in ensuring the world cup is staged successfully. They are happy with the stadia developments in particular.
BUT and I stress BUT, the ticket sales are their biggest concern. Jordaan revealed that of all the tickets that have been sold for the World Cup to date, only 30% of them were bought by South Africans. This simply means that if the opening game was tomorrow, only 30% of the stadium would be filled by South Africans. Now that’s a rather disturbing thought considering that we are the hosts and were also provided the opportunity to buy the level 4 tickets which are by far the cheapest. You see the fact that we are certain that Bafana will play in the world cup come 2010 should translate to the ratio being the other way around, South Africans owning 70% of the tickets and the rest of the world the 30%. We should be the ones filling the stadiums in 2010. For goodness sake we are the hosts! Staging the biggest football tournament in the world, what was point of celebrating so much when the announcement was made if the majority of us will end up watching the games on the telly?
Why are we not buying the tickets? Danny did make an interesting point in the interview when said and I quote: ”The problem is that as South Africans were are not used to buying tickets for June 2010 in March 2009″, and I must agree with him as most of us are used to buying tickets at the gate on match day, this is a fact because I’ve seen it happen and I do it every now and then. The world cup is match bigger than a Soweto derby though, therefore we have to prepare in advance. God dammit (excuse the pun) the LOC even went as far as bending the rules in order to make sure that the ordinary South African citizen would have access to the tickets by engaging the World Cup sponsors FNB in providing hard copies of the application forms. In fact, with only 7 steps you can acquire your ticket. Here’s a perfect illustration.
Simple isn’t it? So what are you waiting for? The global economic crisis is affecting everyone, but you don’t get to stage a world cup every week, it’s our first time and who knows when the next chance will be? This could be the last time in our lifetime, so let’s get out there and start buying the tickets. I heard the closing date is at the end of March 2009. This, my friends is history in the making; let’s strive to be part of it!
Here are some links you might find useful:
1. Applying or paying for tickets
2. Fifa Ticketing section
Till later then…
March 19th, 2009 at 10:55 am
I agree Calvin, but, not every soccer fan can afford to pay for the tickets. I reckon that maybe, there should be a place where people can gather, pay a minimum amount of money, possibly equivalent to ticket price at the gate of a stadum and watch the match from a big screen in that area. Come to think of, we have passionate soccer lovers in very rural KZN and if they cannot afford to travel to nearest towns to buy the basics, then asking them to travel to a stadium and watch the world cup is asking for too much. Not forgetting of course that the economy isn’t looking very good for many people. Personally, I will be happy to watch the match at a stadium, if (a) I win tickets, don’t know if there is a competition around (b) tickets are reduced further, otherwise, will happily sit in front of a televison screen and cheer the boys on!
March 19th, 2009 at 10:58 am
wow, i also remember that day like it was yesterday. i was really excited
ok so here it is: maybe it’s just me but i think it’s good that most of the tickets are being bought by pple from overseas. Doesn’t this mean more investment into our economy? think FDI, think South African’s saving money and our economy growing.
wasn’t that the whole point of being excited about the 2010 world cup being hosted by SA, more moola for us? pls correct me if i’m wrong. Great piece BTW
March 19th, 2009 at 11:05 am
@ Khs, I get your point but come on now, all this excitement just to watch the game on Television? now ways, I know hoe I’m always excited when the world cup takes place and always wish I could watch one of the game live at the Stadium, but obviously the money involved in the travelling to where ever the world cup is hosted was a bit of a problem, now, its right here on our home soild and we are not buying tickets because not buying them will translate to a better economy?
March 19th, 2009 at 11:22 am
we need to think about the future Calvin, as you said in the article, we are in a global economic crisis, and it seems that SA has been cushioned from feeling the pinch as much our other counterparts, let’s try and keep it like that.
@denise i agree with you totally, maybe someone should look into investing in big screens around the country coz i’m sure ppls will buy into the idea. at least that’s cheaper and you still get the atmosphere of being in a real soccer game.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:29 am
@Khs, theres nothing compared to the atmosphere at the Stadium, you should try it once or twice before the confeds cup and you’ll understand how it feels to be at the Stadium,
Great point about the economy though…
March 19th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Okay so we at difficult times at the moment and buying a ticket for the 2010
World cup is not exactly on the A list of things to do, but rather were my next meal is going to come from. Don’t get me wrong guys/gals it’s on our minds and yes it would be great to watch the event live for SURE a feeling only rivalled by the love of chocolate? You get what I’m saying. Maybe as a fellow blogger said a big screen to bring the action to soccer lovers who do not have the access to tickets.
C’mon guys/gals even R50 rand saved a month would get you in touch with all the action on the field remember it’s a historic moment and you will be part of it put down in history. This is our sport its time to let the world know that we get the tickets first so they must wait behind the line, lets get behind our boys and they will play there hearts out as we wait in anticipation for that day. BE PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN. For the love of the game.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Ahem… i noticed new parks being developed in Soweto as few months ago, I think it was for this purpose, just remembered, but this should not be an excuse why tickets should not be bought, they are only R140…
March 19th, 2009 at 11:56 am
@JayX, I like your thinking,
@Denise, I like you point too, but with only 140 bucks we can secure a ticket…
March 19th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
@Jayx the current personal savings rate in SA is -0.7% please note this is a negative rate, which means that pple struggle to put aside money for their future, stuff like education for their kids and retirement etc.
how can we expect them to save money to ‘get in touch with the action’? for the love of the game and to see “our boys” being whipped…
March 20th, 2009 at 9:53 am
@KHS Our boys might get whipped and maybe not with even the slightest glimmer of a difference we should believe in them because they have a lot of pressure on them to perform while i guess there are other countries thinking and talking about how they gonna wipe the field with us because we don’t have there level play on the field. but that is just that maybe what our boys need is for us to stand behind them win or lose they are our boys and i am South African and so are you. This web that we are using to communicate and post on this fantastic blog was the idea of four people one of the being Berners-Lee who came up with the World Wide Web. Point being at that time people did not think much of it as it was not expected to take of rather a dream. and today do you consider what it would be like without the www.
As for the -0.7% it is sad. we as should help each other make an impact with the one life that God has given us. it is possible to help each other do somethin good without wanting anything back in return. i want no glory but for my fellow brothers and sisters to grow be happy and live the life that makes us happy and the one God intended for us. We care so much about what effects us LET US DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT rather than another face in the crowd
March 21st, 2009 at 8:01 am
Brilliant article Calvin. I am shocked at those figures! This is the biggest event to take place in our country yet the people aren’t willing to get involved.
What I’ve discovered is that a lot of people have this misconception that the tickets are expensive. The first reaction I get when people find out that I’ve applied for 12 tickets is “How can you afford that!!”
Come on people, you can get tickets for as little as R140, you cant tell me South Africans cant afford to save up for that.
I feel that the LOC and FNB need to get some TV ads on explaining the pricing and also how easy it is to buy tickets. I have not seen one ad about the ticket buying process yet.
March 30th, 2009 at 11:13 am
It appears that we’ve sold just over a million tickets for the world cup to date. is that good or bad?