What's with the empty seats in the stadiums?

[1naija]

Did Egypt and CAF set the ticket prices too high? Or why isn't any of the games sold out. Imagine a star studded team like Nigeia playing to an empty stadium. Something needs to change.

[mystic]

Did Egypt and CAF set the ticket prices too high? Or why isn't any of the games sold out. Imagine a star studded team like Nigeia playing to an empty stadium. Something needs to change.

This is what we see at every Afcon. Egypt's games will be sold out. The rest of the North African teams will have good support from their fans, and it will be relatively empty stadiums for everyone else. The key will be what the crowd support will look like in the knockout phase when there should be some great matchups. If the stadiums are still empty at that point, it will be very disappointing.

[Bigpokey24]

Mods shangalo this thread to world forum

[1naija]

Mods shangalo this thread to world forum

You are doing too much with all the free jobless time on your hands. Did Nigeria play in a full stadium?

[Rawlings]

It's shameful!!!

I advocated some time ago that AFCON should be held in Europe or US.
I still believe it should ..... the stadiums will fill up.
Africans in Africa do not simply have the financial muscle to go watch their teams play.
Naija vs Burundi in Chicago/Huston/LA/London will easily draw a crowd of 30,000 ( all the uber drives will take a 90min break)

[1naija]

It's shameful!!!

I advocated some time ago that AFCON should be held in Europe or US.
I still believe it should ..... the stadiums will fill up.
Africans in Africa do not simply have the financial muscle to go watch their teams play.
Naija vs Burundi in Chicago/Huston/LA/London will easily draw a crowd of 30,000 ( all the uber drives will take a 90min break)

This is true. The Gold cup games are always packed regardless of the teams playing. And they have some really bad teams in the tournament.

[Enugu II]

It's shameful!!!

I advocated some time ago that AFCON should be held in Europe or US.
I still believe it should ..... the stadiums will fill up.
Africans in Africa do not simply have the financial muscle to go watch their teams play.
Naija vs Burundi in Chicago/Huston/LA/London will easily draw a crowd of 30,000 ( all the uber drives will take a 90min break)

I KPOM this statement.

Let me add that CAF reportedly received an enticing offer to have an AFCON played I believe in UAE or Qatar (not sure now) but CAF eventually turned it down possibly because of the political flak that will result from sealing such a deal.

[Rawlings]

It's shameful!!!

I advocated some time ago that AFCON should be held in Europe or US.
I still believe it should ..... the stadiums will fill up.
Africans in Africa do not simply have the financial muscle to go watch their teams play.
Naija vs Burundi in Chicago/Huston/LA/London will easily draw a crowd of 30,000 ( all the uber drives will take a 90min break)

I KPOM this statement.

Let me add that CAF reportedly received an enticing offer to have an AFCON played I believe in UAE or Qatar (not sure now) but CAF eventually turned it down possibly because of the political flak that will result from sealing such a deal.

CAF should issue a warning to Africans countries(especially Naija): If you cannot get 10,000 from a population of 200 million to come watch the matches, then it shall be moved.
Qatar & Japan are playing in the South American championship. Continental borders are vanishing.

[kali]

Egypt should drop the ticket prices so people can go watch. Its not as if they recoup money from gate fees anyway.

[Rawlings]

Egypt should drop the ticket prices so people can go watch. Its not as if they recoup money from gate fees anyway.

That will not make a difference!!!
Egyptians are most likely not interested in e.g. Naija-Burundi, Congo-Uganda, Senegal-Tanzania
When England played Panama at the world cup in Russia, the stadium was full of English men (not Russians)

We Africans can't muster enough resources to go support our countries, because normal life is a daily struggle.
Whenever our economies are fixed to European standards, we will travel to go see our teams.

[YUJAM]

I noticed Nigeria's game wasn't completely empty. Senegal game also had some numbers - probably a few thousand at most

That said, I think this problem is exacerbated by Africa's infrastructural challenges. No convenient airline routes to Egypt not to mention the prohibitive ticket prices make it difficult for fans to move around. A flight from Lagos to Banjul which should take no more than 3.5 hours probably takes several days and is an expensive trip that may go through Casablanca or even Europe

[Rawlings]

I noticed Nigeria's game wasn't completely empty. Senegal game also had some numbers - probably a few thousand at most

That said, I think this problem is exacerbated by Africa's infrastructural challenges. No convenient airline routes to Egypt not to mention the prohibitive ticket prices make it difficult for fans to move around. A flight from Lagos to Banjul which should take no more than 3.5 hours probably takes several days and is an expensive trip that may go through Casablanca or even Europe

Do u remember Arsenal & Chelsea fans going to Azerbaijan?
Some spent 18-24hrs to get there.
One Spurs fan bought a $50 car and drove to Madrid to watch the Liverpool-Spurs game.

Infrastructural challenges can always be overcome if u have the money
90% of Naija people can't afford the basic necessities of life, so travelling to watch a soccer game even in Naija is a luxury
That's the problem!
Poverty

[YUJAM]

Try driving through the Sahara to get to Egypt. There has to be a road network

I noticed Nigeria's game wasn't completely empty. Senegal game also had some numbers - probably a few thousand at most

That said, I think this problem is exacerbated by Africa's infrastructural challenges. No convenient airline routes to Egypt not to mention the prohibitive ticket prices make it difficult for fans to move around. A flight from Lagos to Banjul which should take no more than 3.5 hours probably takes several days and is an expensive trip that may go through Casablanca or even Europe

Do u remember Arsenal & Chelsea fans going to Azerbaijan?
Some spent 18-24hrs to get there.
One Spurs fan bought a $50 car and drove to Madrid to watch the Liverpool-Spurs game.

Infrastructural challenges can always be overcome if u have the money
90% of Naija people can't afford the basic necessities of life, so travelling to watch a soccer game even in Naija is a luxury
That's the problem!
Poverty

[ohenhen1]

It is also hot. 38 degree to 40 degrees.

[mcal]

...Mr Air Commodore Rawlings making a lot of sense, deviating from your usual stupid posts. What happened, someone knock you with hammer

[Rawlings]

Try driving through the Sahara to get to Egypt. There has to be a road network

Oga,
The Ghanaians who want to get to Europe, travel through the Sahara to get to Libya

• 
  

Naija people do it too:

I repeat: Poverty is the main problem. Infrastructural challenges are just speed bumps.

[akamoke]

Is Egypt a visa free country for rest of Africans? This is another issue that compounds the ease of access. This issues are not confined to Egypt though. Mind you the Argentines travel far and wide for their teams so....

[Rawlings]

Is Egypt a visa free country for rest of Africans? This is another issue that compounds the ease of access. This issues are not confined to Egypt though. Mind you the Argentines travel far and wide for their teams so....

getting an Egyptian visa is as easy as buying akamo in lagos

[cic old boy]

Rawlings is right. Poverty is the main problem across Africa. Watching football is the least of the worries of most Africans. In Nigeria, many have to go to "viewing centres" to watch the match due to no "light", no satellite dish, etc. The Egyptian authorities should have provided free tickets to matches not involving the home team to local schools, etc.

[fabio]

This idea of hosting AfCON is Europe or USA is looking at the solution from a diaspora perspective.

Who actually believes AfCON matches would be sold out in Wembley stadium?

Liverpool stadium could be packed (if Egypt and Senegal) because of Mane and Salah.

In London you are most likely looking at Charlton athletic stadium and East London (not West Ham stadium).

Outside London, Newcastle, Leeds, Cardiff or Scotland?

Let's talk about the cost of hosting AfCON in Europe. From hotel to logistics to stadium is not going to be cheap.

Hosting AfCON outside Africa will only create employment opportunities in Europe or USA, thereby denying African hotels, transport business opportunities.


CAF should have either made free tickets available or at knock down prices.

[aruako1]

It is a question of organisation and mobilisation. There should be marketing efforts targeted towards attendance such as star players showing up for promotional events, discounts and incentives for attendance (attendees can get into draws to win sponsor products for example). Again, qualification and the draws should be wrapped up earlier to allow fans who want to attend to plan. This was the issue for me. The time between the draws and the actual start of the tournament was you short. In contrast, I had several months to plan my trip to the WC in Russia.

[kajifu]

Tufiakwa if we take ANC outside Africa.So we go and promote others economy to grow and our own suffer?
When SA host ANC, its stadium full because most Africans are in SA and south Africans get knock down price.

Egypt situation most people never forget what happen in history,its well documented how Egyptian Pharaohs has foreign slaves .Most people might be scared to go to Egypt and get caught as slaves.

[fabio]

Tufiakwa if we take ANC outside Africa.So we go and promote others economy to grow and our own suffer?
When SA host ANC, its stadium full because most Africans are in SA and south Africans get knock down price.

Egypt situation most people never forget what happen in history,its well documented how Egyptian Pharaohs has foreign slaves .Most people might be scared to go to Egypt and get caught as slaves.

The point is lost on those who are want AFCON outside Africa.