Moses Mabhida Stadium has become a popular venue for cup finals in South African football and many have questioned why this is the case. This is more so the case when two giants are about to clash in a final, such as this weekend where Orlando Pirates will attempt to defend their MTN8 title against Mamelodi Sundowns. Traditionally, the Big Three have fans from all around the country, who would never miss an opportunity to watch their team at the local stadium. So, what goes into picking a venue for a knockout competition final? Does Moses Mabhida have an unfair advantage or being granted special favours, as it were? In this week's Siya Special, Soccer Laduma looks into why the iconic 2010 World Cup venue is so popular with the Premier Soccer League and its cup competition sponsors.
What The Siya Crew Has Been Told…
The Premier Soccer League has come under fire, at times, for the many finals that have been played at Moses Mabhida Stadium, which will once again host the MTN8 final between giants Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns this weekend. While it may appear to be a straight-forward decision to the public – based on the number of times Moses Mabhida has been picked – the Siya crew understands that there are quite a number of factors that are considered before deciding where a cup final will be played. If it were so simple, the PSL would announce a venue before the start of each competition, but the League has a way of doing things to ensure they find the right venue to host the different tournament finals. Sponsors, as Soccer Laduma has been informed, also have a say in the process of picking a venue for the final, but the final decision, as further investigation revealed, rests with the PSL. The clubs that qualify for the final also impact where it will be played. For a category A match, which involves the big guns of South African football, it's likely that one of the World Cup stadium venues will be picked. This publication spoke to a few insiders, from the PSL and its sponsors, to get a clear idea of how things work.
"There are different categories for fixtures. Depending on the category, the PSL makes a decision on where a game will be played, or rather they identify which venues can host a game of that category. If all was fair in the bidding world, then we would have finals in different parts of the country," said an informant, who referred to how sponsors play a role as well. "Based on the sponsors' objectives, they come in and propose venues. That's why I say there are various factors. You've got the sponsors' objectives and you have the categories of the games, including the health and safety security measures that should be put into place. And then there is the component of the tourism and that's where the cities come in and bid. The sponsors do have a say, but it's the PSL who have the final decision on where a final will be played," added the informant. Ahead of a final, the PSL identifies potential venues. Once these venues have been identified, they are invited to bid to see if they would be able to meet the requirements of the PSL. In most cases, Moses Mabhida Stadium has been able to meet the requirements. Vusi Mazibuko, the stadium manager of Moses Mabhida, explained that the process does not necessarily only favour their venue. "The term 'bid' is understood wherein all of you put in a proposal and then they sit and consider which bid is better. PSL does not work that way. They want to know if you are available and if you will be able to meet their requirements, and they will do that for other stadiums. And then, on the basis of their criteria, which they know, then they decide where the final goes."
How Moses Mabhida Attracts Big Finals
The Siya crew got in touch with Moses Mabhida's stadium manager, Vusi Mazibuko, who went into detail to explain how they are able to secure so many finals.
"There are a couple of things. Firstly, it's the confidence that the sponsors and the League has on our capabilities. That confidence comes from a culture that we have developed. Over the years, we have developed a culture of delivering on bigger events and every time we host a big game or a cup final, like in this case, we host it as if it's the first time we are hosting. We never take things for granted that it's a given because we know that it's a privilege and that there are other stadiums who can equally host any final of this magnitude. We also know that there is no principle of rotation. People argue that finals should rotate, but there is no decision by the League to say that there is a principle of rotation. Finals are decided on the basis of where the League and the sponsor would want to take their product. "I think what is special about us is that we make it a strategic decision to have these finals here. First and foremost, we raise our hands like everybody else to say if the final takes place, we are available. When the season starts, all of us receive fixtures and those fixtures will tell you when the different finals will be played. We block those dates for any other events, whether or not we are going to get the final.
If you want to book for your event long in advance and we think it might coincide with the final, we will not take that booking up until we are certain that it's not going to coincide with the final. There are two other finals happening this season other than this one. We don't know where those finals are going, but if you were to ask us whether we are available, we will be available because we have blocked those dates. If it means we lose business, then let it be. "Another thing is that we respect the product. If you look at our offerings in terms of suites and public catering, all those services are internal. The quality of the service we provide, whether you are in the presidential suite or any other, you will get the same service in terms of beverages and food because all those are internal services. We provide consistency throughout. Also, our suites are affordable. They are not cheap, but affordable. That they are affordable does not mean we will drop the quality. The League and the sponsors know that. "One other advantage we have is that it's a natural capital, which simply means that we are geographically better located for a national event, because finals are national events. If you look at where the tickets have been bought for this game, they were not only bought in KZN. They were bought from around the country, from the Free State, Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and so forth. All of them will be able to access this destination without a problem because of the transport modes. Others will be able to fly within an hour and others will be able to drive or take a taxi, and it makes it an experience to go to the game. Not every city or province can say that about where they are geographically located. So, it is an advantage, but it's not a given. Finals do go to other provinces, but what we do, such as we are doing for this one, is that when it ends, we want the decision makers from the League and sponsors to say, 'It was so good to be here and we want the next one to be here.' What you see here is repeat business. Every day when I go home, I buy milk and bread at the same shop and there are reasons for that. It's because it's comfortable, the staff is good and management is good and there is plenty. But the day I get a bad experience from the shop, then I will change. So, we understand fully that the day we disappoint, somebody else will be appointed. Therefore, we do everything possible to retain the business."
The Story Behind The Scenes
Tourism
Soccer Laduma has been told that Durban has an advantage with their great tourism, giving Moses Mabhida Stadium preference on most occasions when there is a cup final. "The tourism is considered. Compared to other provinces where there is a beach and other attractions, Durban is a bit more affordable to, let's say, Cape Town. So, those are some of the things that are taken into consideration at times. Remember, there is also the vibe that comes with being in Durban. It's not only a decision for the PSL. It's a decision for the supporters because Durban is a place where people can have a lot of fun before and after a final is played," an informant revealed.
A Supporter's Voice
While there are many supporters who have questioned why Moses Mabhida Stadium has hosted so many finals over the years, there are those with experience of travelling to Durban for big knockout competition finals. Orlando Pirates supporter Phillip Jwarha, who has attended quite a number of finals at the venue, explained why he loves travelling to Durban when the Buccaneers are in a final. "What's great for us is that we get to go to Durban with a convoy and we stop at the garages along the way. When we get to Durban, there is South Beach, and we have fun there. We arrange where we sleep and then we wait to go to the stadium. It's always nice being in Durban. The only thing that would not be nice is if the result does not go the way of our team. Fortunately for us, we have won most of the finals we have played at Moses Mabhida, and we came back smiling. It's always nice being at Moses Mabhida," he said.
Why PSL Can't Announce Venue Early
In a country where most of the supporters follow the Big Three clubs, the PSL and its sponsors cannot announce the venue of a final because they need to know which teams have made it all the way. "There are times when Chiefs, Pirates or Sundowns are not in the final, which means that the PSL might have to go with a smaller venue and the sponsors would have to work a little harder to promote the game," a source said. "So, it's difficult for the PSL to announce a venue before the start of a competition. If all the clubs had a lot of supporters, then maybe it would be easier, but we are in a country where most of the people support three clubs."
