Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
GATE charges for Sunday’s encounter between traditional rivals Highlanders and Dynamos will remain the same as in any other game, a Bosso official has confirmed.
Highlanders secretary general Emmet Ndlovu said the rest of the ground will remain at $3, Wings $5 while the VIP area spectactors will part with $10.
“We are not hiking the charges because we are taking it like any other game, no one is special. Our fans have been supporting us through thick and thin throughout the season paying $3 so why should we punish them this time around,” said Ndlovu.
He said they want the day to be beautiful family day where football fans will come to enjoy football.
“Let people come and enjoy the beauty of this game,” said the secretary general.
The decision to keep gate charges as they were will set the stage for a bumper crowd as both sets of supporters will surely come in numbers now.
Due to the club’s decision to hike charges, attendance figures have been dwindling over the last couple of years, with the highest attendance in 10 years being 26 500, a day that bosso collected maximum points with a 2-1 victory.
There after figures went down with 2007 recoding 20 790 fans, 2008 had 19 580 paying fans while the figure nosedived to 12 000 in 2009. There was a slight increase the following season when 15 000 supporters paid their way to the terraces with 2011 recording an increase of 1 000.
In 2012, under Kelvin Kaindu and with fans believing that Dynamos’ dominance will come to an end, 25 987 spectators paid to witness the encounter which however ended in a 1-1 stalemate. It remains the highest attendance figure up to now.