Premier Soccer League Experiments With 2-Match System
In an experiment of the two-match system, Dembare will play Buffaloes while Motor Action engage Monomotapa in matches which fans will pay only $3 to watch the Harare giants
HARARE — The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League is this weekend experimenting with a double header system. A double header system is when two matches are played in the same stadium on the same day with football fans paying the same amount they fork out to watch a soccer league match. And for the first time since the premier soccer league was introduced by Chris Sibanda and the late Morrison Sifelani in 1994, Dynamos will share a stadium with another team in a double leader at Gibo Stadium in Chiredzi on Sunday. In an experiment of the two-match system, Dembare will play Buffaloes while Motor Action engage Monomotapa in matches which fans will pay only $3 to watch the Harare giants, who normally charge $5 for the cheapest seat whenever they play at home. Although the PSL used the system before the start of the season in the NetOne Charity Shield, this has never been enforced in competitive matches in the 16 team PSL assembly. PSL Chief Executive Officer Kennedy Ndebele said the system aims to financially assist struggling teams. The struggling teams then share the same stadium and gate takings with clubs which have massive followings like Dynamos, Highlanders and Caps United. Ndebele said the system will help attract more fans and enable small clubs to break even. Ndebele said clubs like Dynamos and Highlanders resisted the deal claiming they have enough support to financially sustain themselves. He said there won’t be any problem in the sharing of the proceeds as the PSL handles the gatetakings before they are disbursed to clubs. Small teams in the premier league have been experiencing serious financial problems due to low crowd attendances. Some have even failed to pay their players. Ndebele said the latest development could work well for such clubs. Indications are that the BancABC Sup8 tournament, which involves only the top eight teams from the previous soccer season, is making a return to Zimbabwean football after dropping off the calendar last year.