Khama opens F/town sports complex
The official opening of Francistown Sports Complex tomorrow in the midst of Botswana Games by President Ian Khama Seretse Khama will be overshadowed by the Zebras celebrity status in the second city.
The Zebras still holds a record breaking attendance number of 26 662 in their game with the much fancied Mali two months ago albeit coming at a fee and fatigue for the fans. The stadium will for the first time welcome the president who has a tough task of filling it up for free which many soccer pundits have ruled out as they claim the Zebras to be more popular than the president.
Khama who is scheduled to hijack the ongoing Botswana Games on Thursday to officially open the facility will most likely be faced with vacant seats as the Botswana Games failed to impress multitudes of residents of the second city unlike the Zebras.
The Botswana Games also have no hype as there is no branding or anything to reflect that the games are ongoing. Information reaching this publication suggests that some civic leaders are bent on ensuring that Khama finds empty stands allegedly because he denied them the opportunity to name their stadium.
An inside source at the Francistown City Council revealed that the powers that be are not happy with the president’s decision to name the newly opened stadium without consulting them.
That’s why the Botswana Games were not mobilised unlike in the case of the Zebras who compelled the leadership of the City Council to use Public Address systems to announce the Zebras games on air and in all locations of the city. If they do not have beef with the president, why are they not publicising his official opening stopover?” the source wondered.
Bobby Gaseitsiwe of the Botswana Games organising committee rubbished claims that the game’s no hype was politically motivated as akin to comparing an apple to a pin. “Botswana Games cannot be compared to the Zebras who are a brand recognised all over Africa.
Even if the entrance is free the Under 19 year olds cannot surpass their seniors who currently hold a record breaking attendance number. Take an example of our national Female Soccer team.
When they play at the stadium even at free entrance, the stands are always empty since they are not yet a huge brand. Some people are comparing these games with the past African Youth Games, which had a higher expenditure than us. When we budget we look at basic needs like accommodation for technical staff in hotels and lodges as opposed to bill boards like some people have been suggesting,” he explained.
Gaseitsiwe said that all stakeholders including the FCC have played their part in the preparation including information dissemination to the members of the public. “Everybody involved during the preparations of the Botswana Games played their part. We have called press conferences, as well as advertising the games over the radio and our local television station,’’ Gaseitsiwe added.
