Jun 15 2009
The wake-up call: Crowd sizes at Confed games
Some (like the German media) will have their eyes on crime in SA during the Confederation Cup. Others will have their eyes on the games. But, I will have my eyes on the stands. More specifically, on the crowds attending the games. As far as I’m concerned, the factor ticket sales for Confed Cup games is the vital early indicator of the success (or failure) of next year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
And the first signs were not positive.
Last week the warm-up game between Italy and New Zealand was played in Pretoria in an almost empty stadium. At least, that was the shocking impression one got from the few clips of the game shown on German TV.
This was especially unbelievable (to Germans), since Italy is the reigning world champion. After early reports that South Africans are showing close to zero interest in the Cup (as reflected in ticket sales at the time), and FIFA criticised the SA government and the local organising committee for the total absence of advertising for the Cup, the government responded by blaming the sponsors. In turn, the organising committee blamed the local public for its apathy.
At the time, I said I wasn’t surprised by the low ticket sales and ascribed it to “cultural differences” between South Africa and what FIFA was used to in other parts of the world. South Africans are more spontaneous and less likely to plan a visit to a specific football game weeks, or months, in advance. Be that as it may, the issue vanished from the media’s radar screens, after the local organising committee launched an advertising campaign.
All that remains now, is to see whether the local organising committee had done enough.
Should the stadiums remain largely empty this week, it could be good news. It might, in fact, be the wake-up call the organising committee and SA government needed.
The SA government and organising committee should have splashed out on a global advertising campaign long ago, to improve South Africa’s image and convince fans to come to SA.
The publicity SA receives in the German media is another reason why such a campaign is vital. In the last month SA and the upcoming World Cup received a helluva lot of publicity in the German media (TV, magazines, newspapers, radio and internet), but to date most (if not all) of the reports left a negative taste in the mouth.
In most reports the message went like this: The stadiums will be ready and the arrangements are running at full tilt, but….
But, crime is still a huge problem. (We are reminded, almost every day, that on average 50 people are killed daily in SA.) Further, we hear that poverty is still rife, the public transport system almost non-existent and the economy in the doldrums.
No blatant stay-away calls have been made, but some reports left me wondering whether they wanted to scare the German fans into staying at home.
Apart from the crime issue, most of the criticism is “misplaced”, in the sense that these problems have plagued SA for centuries and will plague SA for decades to come. These problems cannot and will not be solved by a single FIFA World Cup event – and no-one in SA ever expected that to happen.
To think that poverty would be eased in this way, is nothing less than naieve. To suggest the infrastructure is not good enough, is to measure it against the first world. South Africa has the transport infrastructure it needs and it works pretty well for the country, thank you. And will also handle the extra load for the 6 weeks of the World Cup.
The fact is: Some of these reports reveal more about the German mentality, than the chances of SA staging a successful World Cup next year. My observations lead me to think there is more than just a bit of “if-SA-fucks-up-we-and-our-2006-effort-will-look-even-better” at play here. In other words, the Germans are secretly hoping for things to go wrong in SA, so people will say afterwards “the 2006 Cup was much better”.
Naturally, everyone here will deny that that is true. Point is, South Africa will have to fight to get the fans in the country. It won’t get help from anyone – not even Germany.
Ek dink ook baie meer kan gedoen word om nie net die World Cup nie maar ook die land self te bemark. Indien mense so ver vlieg kan hul net so wel ‘n week of twee langer bly en in die land rondtoer. Ons mis ‘n truuk of twee hier!
Beste ZiGerman uit Vaihingen! Ek stem saam, bro. Verskoon dat ek nog nie van my laat hoor het nie. Christo
Today is the 22nd June 2009 and the games are well into their semi-final stage. Where are comments about the crowds, or have you also now shifted into complaining about vuvuzela’s as well? Vuvuzela, by the way, is the now famous plastic trumpet blown at the games. Italians had drums in 1990 and we South Africans have vuvuzela’s and the games from outside and inside the stadiums has been nothing less than spectacular.
Confed games are a prelude to the World Cup, with the main objective being to learn from the shortcomings, in order to improve in the next twelve months. Improve we will, come June 2010.
Hallo Lebohang,
Thanks for reading the blog and for commenting. Always nice to hear from people “back home”, so to speak.
Yes, you are right: I should have mentioned that the attendance was fine…like the stadiums and everything else (especially the play of the SA team!).
Even though FIFA reportedly congratulated SA over the weekend for the way the Confed Cup have been going, the German media still had a few negative things to say this morning.
Such as, that the transport system is chaotic when it comes to taking soccer fans away from stadiums after games. But, again: That’s probably only Europeans judging against what they are used to, instead of judging against what is the standard outside Europe.
Yes, the German media also complained about the plastic horn. That will definitely become a “point of criticism” at next year’s World Cup. And, I think non-SA spectators at World Cup games where non-SA teams are playing, will have a valid point when they complain about the trumpets. Why? Because these trumpets have a way of dominating other noise/sound, including singing and chanting.
Let’s take an example: Should two teams like Germany and England play against each other, their fans will be singing and chanting them on with songs and calls which have been part of the “soccer culture” of these teams for decades.
But, the supporters of these teams will be few and a game like that will (most probably) have more SA spectators than German and English spectators. Should SA soccer fans bring and blow their trumpets at these games without regard for the German and English fans, this will definitely lead to unhappiness, to put it mildly.
So, although every country is free to urge its team on the way it thinks best, the chosen instruments (drums, trumpets, singing) should be used “politely” at games where teams other than your own team are playing. Especially when the instrument is as dominating as the trumpet.
PS. I’m assuming, of course, that SA will want to be seen internationally as a “polite host”…one who understands and tolerates different cultures.
Christo
So, the Confed Cup went off well. Congrats is due all round. With a big, big PLEASE: please get rid of that plastic trumpet.
The thought of having to listen to that continuous, low, zooooooom sound for a whole month in June next year is already giving me sleepless nights. And it will definitely keep a few hundred, if not thousand, potential tourists at home next year.
Until now, FIFA has refused to say anything negative about the trumpet. But, I’m sure there will be a change in strategy before long and a “request” be issued not to bring these “things” to games where teams other than Bafana play.
If this is all South Africa can contribute to the international game of soccer, it should rather contribute nothing.
Please….
Christo
If it is too loud youre to old! Ha ha
Seriously, I think it is fitting for African culture so perhaps free earplugs should be handed out at the gates……
Jep, that could , of course, be part of (my) problem!
But, then again: Could the fans perhaps try to blow the trumpets in clever ways, rather than just blowing like dogs barking at the moon. For instance, is it not possible to play a short few notes (a song) working together as a small team of five, or so?
Or, perhaps, someone could organise the trumpets in the south stand to blow once, and then all in the north stand…or, something along that route?
More ideas: Could trumpets not be made and sold with different tones? Would it not be amazing, if a group could actually play the first notes of Nkosi Sekeleli?
This is a serious matter (really!), because we’re looking at a World Cup host which misunderstands its role. South Africa obviously sees the event (only) as an opportunity to display its culture to the world, while it is really an opportunity to host the cultures of the world.
The trumpet is an instrument which dominates. It kills off all other noises. It is selfish. And will leave no place for other cultures at the event.
More: A big part of the enjoyment of watching the games on TV, is the sound. Try watching football with the sound off, to see that this is true. The trumpet will effectively kill off the enjoyment of the FIFA World Cup for TV audiences around the world.
In the last instance, South Africans must realise that the world doesn’t really give a damn about South African culture. The world will only be interested in football and the performance of the different teams at the World Cup.
A good host is one which gives all nations a (friendly, effective and nicely-located) platform on which to compete against each other.
So, please, don’t just make this debate off as another racist rant. Rather remember that this is the first time the World Cup will be hosted in Africa, meaning there is no experience to fall back on. All is virgin ground. Also what it means to be a host…
A good start to a debate, would be to admit that a debate is necessary.
Christo
The German weekly magazine Focus reported here earlier this week that the stands were only so full at the Confed Cup games, because FIFA handed out tickets for free when it saw stadiums could not be filled otherwise.
An official was also quoted as saying FIFA learned a lesson or two, among them that 2010 World Cup tickets will have to be much cheaper.
So, it’s still uncertain whether the 2010 World Cup will be a financial success. One thing is certain, though: We’ll have full stadiums. FIFA will make sure of that!
Christo