http://www.todayonline.com/Sports/EDC100908-0000082/Only-214-tickets-sold
Only 214 tickets sold
Worryingly, that is the average for the last nine S-League games
SINGAPORE - For 13 days in August, the 6,000-capacity Jalan Besar Stadium was a hive of activity, as coach Kadir Yahaya and his 15-year-old Cubs proved football fandom was very much alive in Singapore during the Youth Olympic Games.
Cubs football was the hottest ticket in town, with the smallest gate 4,800 for their opening match against Zimbabwe, while their other three matches were either sellouts or close to capacity.
Just days after the Cubs returned to their respective schools, it appeared as if clock had struck 12, the magic spell worn off.
Official figures put the average attendance at the nine S-League games from Aug 30 to Sept 5 at 1,016 (see box), but in response to queries from MediaCorp, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) revealed in a statement yesterday that average ticket sales for the matches stood at a mere 214.
In an earlier response, the FAS stated that"attendance figures provided by clubs include complimentary tickets regardless of the presence of the ticket holders at the stadium", which explains the official figures one sees on attendance sheets and the official S-League website.
What is clear is that the S-League continues to struggle to attract fans to watch matches every week.
On Aug 8, ticket sales at Queenstown stadium for the match between talented French outfit Etoile FC and Woodlands Wellington stood at 83 adults and 36 children. But the official attendance was pegged at 929 fans, almost 10 times more.
A glance around the various stadiums consistently show a swathe of empty seats.
Half of the 12 S-League clubs MediaCorp have spoken to admit gate receipts are paltry and form an insignificant part of their budget.
"We submit two attendance figures for each match. We have staff at the gates who count the number of people entering the stadium with a clicker, and that forms the first number, which is a close estimation of the number of people in the stadium," said one club official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
"And then the complimentary tickets are added to that number to form the final, official attendance figure."
In 2005, former FAS president, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, targeted hitting an average attendance figure of 5,000 for S-League games.
The average attendance in 2008 was 1,851 and 2,050 last year, with ticket sales at 226 and 200, respectively. Current FAS president Zainudin Nordin also made improving attendance figures a top priority, but the numbers are not rising.
Clubs have adopted various approaches to combat the dismal figures, ranging from community outreach programmes to engaging the public that live close to the stadiums, The FAS aim to take it a step further.
Said FAS spokesperson Isaac Christian: "We will continue to work closely with S-League clubs to increase the quality of football and enhance the matchday atmosphere for existing fans and to attract new fans ... FAS is also exploring with Vanda Sports, ways to increase the matchday experience for the Young Lions and if successful, we will implement (a similar programme) with other S-League clubs after this pilot project."
In a recent Today exclusive, it was reported that Vanda Sports were looking to take over the running of the off-the-pitch activities of the Young Lions from 2011, and FAS are hoping it will revolutionise how S-League clubs relate to fans, like the Cubs did so magnificently last month.
Only 214 tickets sold
Worryingly, that is the average for the last nine S-League games
SINGAPORE - For 13 days in August, the 6,000-capacity Jalan Besar Stadium was a hive of activity, as coach Kadir Yahaya and his 15-year-old Cubs proved football fandom was very much alive in Singapore during the Youth Olympic Games.
Cubs football was the hottest ticket in town, with the smallest gate 4,800 for their opening match against Zimbabwe, while their other three matches were either sellouts or close to capacity.
Just days after the Cubs returned to their respective schools, it appeared as if clock had struck 12, the magic spell worn off.
Official figures put the average attendance at the nine S-League games from Aug 30 to Sept 5 at 1,016 (see box), but in response to queries from MediaCorp, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) revealed in a statement yesterday that average ticket sales for the matches stood at a mere 214.
In an earlier response, the FAS stated that"attendance figures provided by clubs include complimentary tickets regardless of the presence of the ticket holders at the stadium", which explains the official figures one sees on attendance sheets and the official S-League website.
What is clear is that the S-League continues to struggle to attract fans to watch matches every week.
On Aug 8, ticket sales at Queenstown stadium for the match between talented French outfit Etoile FC and Woodlands Wellington stood at 83 adults and 36 children. But the official attendance was pegged at 929 fans, almost 10 times more.
A glance around the various stadiums consistently show a swathe of empty seats.
Half of the 12 S-League clubs MediaCorp have spoken to admit gate receipts are paltry and form an insignificant part of their budget.
"We submit two attendance figures for each match. We have staff at the gates who count the number of people entering the stadium with a clicker, and that forms the first number, which is a close estimation of the number of people in the stadium," said one club official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
"And then the complimentary tickets are added to that number to form the final, official attendance figure."
In 2005, former FAS president, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, targeted hitting an average attendance figure of 5,000 for S-League games.
The average attendance in 2008 was 1,851 and 2,050 last year, with ticket sales at 226 and 200, respectively. Current FAS president Zainudin Nordin also made improving attendance figures a top priority, but the numbers are not rising.
Clubs have adopted various approaches to combat the dismal figures, ranging from community outreach programmes to engaging the public that live close to the stadiums, The FAS aim to take it a step further.
Said FAS spokesperson Isaac Christian: "We will continue to work closely with S-League clubs to increase the quality of football and enhance the matchday atmosphere for existing fans and to attract new fans ... FAS is also exploring with Vanda Sports, ways to increase the matchday experience for the Young Lions and if successful, we will implement (a similar programme) with other S-League clubs after this pilot project."
In a recent Today exclusive, it was reported that Vanda Sports were looking to take over the running of the off-the-pitch activities of the Young Lions from 2011, and FAS are hoping it will revolutionise how S-League clubs relate to fans, like the Cubs did so magnificently last month.
tan who?
