05 Jun 2018

 Botswana Premier League (BPL) clubs will from the 2018-2019 season  start printing, selling and distributing their own tickets without the interference of the board.
This was revealed by BPL chairperson, Jagdish Shah at the league’s annual general assembly in Gaborone on June 2.
He said it was imperative for clubs to start preparing for the new development, adding that as soon as they got their draft fixtures they could start their tickets production.
“Start planning because you can benefit from selling corporate and seasonal tickets, and it is up to you how you want to sell them,” he said
Shah also said the pricing of the tickets was upon the clubs, adding that they had made a minimum cap of P10.
He said the advantages of  teams taking care of their own tickets was the fact that the host team could cash their 100 per-cent gate takings.
Furthermore, he said the present system of giving the premier league five per cent and 25 per cent to the stadium would be scrapped with effective from next season.
He said the premier league board was happy with the new arrangement given that the issue of tickets being produced, delayed and reconciliation of accounts would now be the responsibility of clubs.
Shah said it would now be the responsibility of the BPL to pay the stadium and not clubs as it was the initial arrangement.
In other issues, he said they were in negotiations with a potential sponsor for the ball boys and referees, adding that they hope to launch the sponsorship before the commencement of the new season.
“We are going to give the potential sponsor the rights to brand the stadium on match days,” he said.
Shah also said they were trying to solicit travel partners, revealing that their plan was to start the league on August 18
He noted that the day would also mark the encounter between Township Rollers and a Ugandan team in Uganda. He also noted that on August 28 Township Rollers would be hosting Esperance Sportive de Tunis.
He, however, said it would not delay the commencement of the league, and that an arrangement would be made for Rollers to catch up in the league. ENDS