By: Sheikh Tophic Sienu @desheikh1
Sometimes I try to keep quiet but the issues won't stop coming.
What am I hearing? ... that Hearts of Oak have increased their gate fees for the Bechem United game by 100%.
So they are now taking 10, 15 and 20 Ghana cedis at the Osu and Independence Square stands, May 9th stand [Center Line] and VIP respectively.
Amazing, isn't it?
What is the meaning of this?
So must our clubs be quickly carried away by the few positives they see?
Why don't we try to sustain the positive attendance for a while before moving forward?
Since when did Bechem United become a BIG match ENOUGH to attract the fans to the stadium?
Or has the management of Hearts forgotten that the opposition counts in attracting fans to a particular match?
If these are the gate fees for Bechem United game, then fans must brace up to pay GHC100 for Hearts/Kotoko in Accra.
In my opinion, this is not the time for Hearts to do that.
They should keep the momentum, maintain the fees collected during the New Edubiase game for sometime before shooting up.
I was shocked when the PRO Opare Addo said on Asempa FM that even Techiman City have been taking ghc10 yet the fans always fill the stands.
So sad! So Techiman City is now the yardstick for Hearts to measure themselves?
Good job Micky Charles, you are now setting standards for Hearts of Oak.
Have we forgotten that Premier League football-hunger had engulfed Techiman for close to 30yrs before City qualified to play in the Premier League?
Inasmuch as I agree that gate proceeds are part of the revenue mobilization strategies for the clubs, I must quickly condemn this exploitation by Hearts of Oak.
They shouldn't take advantage of the fan's love to exploit them.
As an ambassador of the Ghana Premier League, I plead with the Phobian fraternity not to drive the fans away by charging exorbitant fees but to keep them and sustain their love by taking the original fees they charged during their first home game.
Hearts must remember that the team involved is Bechem United and this is their second home match.
They should at least play three or four home matches to establish the consistency of the fans before taking any such decision.
I will not forgive Accra Hearts of Oak if they turn the fans away.
Let me quickly remind the management of Hearts that the said game will be LIVE on TV so they should rewind their disc.
This is simply not it. Phobia must rethink.
A passionate appeal.