TFWL: In terms of fan interest, the first division is slowly overshadowing the PSL in Zimbabwe?

Talking football Lawrence

I look at football from a different lens. I just believe that, apart from the business aspect, the biggest duty of the game is to entertain fans.

One of the big takeaways I had this week during a local game; Ironically, fans are now more excited about the First Division of the Northern Region than Premier League Castle Camp.

Two weeks ago I watched a boring draw between FC “Platinum” and “Dynamo” in Mandava, and I understood why the clash was not even advertised so much.

Apart from the fact that Frank Macarati showed Norman Mapeze what he missed in AFCON, I did not see anything interesting in this game and I still believe that two points were dropped and not a point gained for Dynamo.

In terms of the quality of both teams and the resources being sent, one can expect both DeMbare and FC Platinum to be contenders for the title, and equally expect a meeting between the two sides to match that.

That was not the case.

Also last Sunday at the National Sports Stadium watched the meeting of “Dynamo” with Chicken Inn.

At first glance, I couldn’t believe that the meager crowd at the giant facility for such a league game pitted two teams really waiting to fight for the title.

Then I remembered that there is another condition for watching local league games in stadiums, not the cheapest ticket for $ 3 – a vaccination card from Covid-19.

I also remembered that the National Sports Stadium, unlike Ruffar, has some logistics issues that can keep fans from thinking about traveling to watch league matches.

A DeMbare fan from Murekhva can get off the bus at Mbare Musika and go straight to Rufar to look at the Harare giants, but when it comes to the National Sports Stadium, he needs to first get to the Central Business District and then also commute from the city to a giant object.

I took everything into account and just concluded that less than 2,000 crowds were the result of the interaction of several factors.

At the same time I expected better football.

The Chicken Inn came away with three points thanks to a strike by Brian Muse in the second half, but overall the football shown by the two sides was not impressive.

Then there was a clash at the top of the Northern Region table between Herentals U-20 and Simba Bhora.

I was impressed by the way the media showed about the fight.

Fans withstood the rains in Harare to watch the long-awaited match at Morris Depot, in stark contrast to the empty stands at the Premier League games.

Even legendary sports journalist Robson Sharuko agrees that there is a big difference between the First Division and the Premier League in the way fans watch the game.

“Watch Simba Bhor and the Herentals U-20 in the Maurice Department. A good audience and life in the stands is what the PSL lacks, they have to borrow a ticket from the first division, ”he wrote on the microblogging website. Twitter.

Herentals won the match 2-0, and I even saw a well-executed match protocol the next day.

I will correct myself if I am wrong, but I doubt that once a powerful derby in Harare between CAPS United and Dynamos can attract at least 5,000 fans right now.

I also doubt that fans of the game are looking forward to the game, as and when it comes to games in the Northern Region, especially involving Herentals, Simba Bhora and Golden Eagles.

Is it slowly obscuring football in the PSL First Division in terms of fan interest?

review: Lawrence@soccer24.co.zw

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