Airtel Top 8 generates over K52mil:Mist on cash from selling points

The inaugural Airtel Top 8 finals between Silver Strikers and Be Forward Wanderers is reportedly to have raised over K52 million from the gate collections last Saturday at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

According to the figures sourced from Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Gate Revenue Reconciliation form, gross collection was K52,459,915 but this did not include the monies which were collected from various selling points within the city set by the organizing committee.

The tournament organizers had set up pre-march selling points in various filling stations and super markets within Lilongwe which were totaling to about six of them and fans were urged to buy their tickets using Airtel money services.

This means teams and all stakeholders shared what was collected on the day of the actual game leaving out the money which was collected in various selling points to which its total amount is not known.

The revenue distribution form indicates ground levy got K10,551,051.03, home team K10,551,051.03,away team K10,551,051.03, FAM K8,440,840.82, Sports Council K2,110,210.21

The total net revenue is pegged at K42, 204,204.12.

The remaining K10, 255, 710.88 was used to settle issues of security which included police and stewards, ticket printing, St John Ambulance/Red Cross, ball boys, game management and supervision. There were other expenditures which were term as fire and wrist band.

The mounts were distributed as follows, gate management received K5,543,562.40, Supervision K520,000, police 1,252,948, Stewards K1,099,000, St john ambulance K151, 000.00, ball boys, k55,000.00 , fire K591,000.00 and Wrist band K330,060.00.

However according to the sheet, it is surprising that to note that they did not sign at the bottom of the page despite other stakeholders signing for it. On top of the page a date is clearly indicated June 3, 2017 and venue too.

There are three missing signatures for the supervision, ball boys and St John Ambulance as to whether the three stakeholders were given the correct amounts and this yet to be verified.

A soccer fan diehard, Charles Ben said the two needs need to verify and find out what happened to the money that was collected from other selling points if we are going by this revenue distribution figure.

“They need get the fair share of those collections and this need a quick follow up before the monies disappear,” he viewed.

Ben said “am hoping this is a real revenue distribution sheet and all teams and stakeholders are having copies.”

He said if this the case it will more money was raised but some is not accounted for.,

FAM Marketing officer, Limbani Matola said tournament organizers enhanced and improved gate collections during the finals.

He said they managed to have total control of selling tickets at the entrance and a private company was deployed to manage security at the gates.

“Most people accessed advance tickets through Airtel money. This has proved to us to be very effective. FDH banked managed to handle cash at the gates. Although teams were not comfortable with the arrangements but his has proved to be efficient to us all,” Matola explained.

But however, the market officer did not explain how much was raised using the new format of advance ticketing through Airtel money and selling points like filling stations and shops.

The advance ticketing could be most effective way of managing get collections and reducing elements of fraud and corruption which have been exposed in the past games.

The final was well patronized and it seems people are now getting to liking local football unlike what was happening the past seasons.

The winning team Silver Strikers pocketed over K25 million from the gate collection and prize money.

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