Clubs loose money in ticketing scandal
According to a Standard exposee, Local clubs especially Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards are losing millions of shillings in gate collections as crooks have discovered a new way of making money. And some club officials may be culpable.
An intricate cartel involving gate attendants, security firms and sometimes club officials are responsible for the huge losses. The most surprising thing is that clubs do not follow up and press charges when those responsible are arrested perhaps an indicator to their collusion.
But Gor Mahia are the hardest hit when it comes to fake tickets. An official at City Stadium who requested that they have twice arrested a suspect popularly known as ‘Baba Mercy’ selling fake tickets but efforts to prosecute him did not succeed as some club officials asked for his release.
“It was a bit surprising, we had arrested someone with a book of fake tickets worth Sh50,000 and when we informed Gor Mahia officials, they asked us to release him. Is it possible that they knew something about it?” wondered the official.
When Gor Mahia played arch-rivals AFC Leopards three weeks ago in the much hyped derby, a person was arrested selling fake tickets.The person who made the arrest was the club’s vice-chairman David Kilo who confirmed that the man had about Sh35,000 on him from the sale of the fake tickets.
“I took him to Kasarani police station and informed the club’s treasury to follow up. I’m not sure whether anything was done about it,” said Kilo.
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier while admitting the vice has become a major challenge, pointed out it is a major cartel involving many people, our people.
“Every-time the matter comes up, you hear the same names. Some are our own people and perhaps that is why people get released as soon as they are arrested.
“It is so bad that when we print tickets on a Saturday, by Sunday afternoon, the fake tickets are already in circulation. This people are so connected it is difficult to nab them,” he admitted.
AFC Leopards acting Chief Executive Officer Richard Ekhalie said the club loses about Sh100,000 at the gates for every home game.
The national team has not been spared either. According to Elly Mukolwe a Football Kenya Federation (FKF) executive committee member, last year a man was arrested selling fake tickets at Nyayo National Stadium during a Harambee Stars match against South Africa.
“We arrested him and took him to the Nyayo Stadium police station but because we wanted him to lead us to his accomplices, we did not press charges. We have never experienced a similar thing again,” he said.
But even then, a lot of money is still lost at the gates during national team matches as unscrupulous security men collude with fans to enter into the stadium for free or for less than half of the stipulated charges.
As a rule, the Sports Stadia Management Board (SSMB) usually retains 20 per cent of the gate collections but still charge for use of the facility.
Tickets for Tusker match to be printed abroad
According to an article in futaa.com, the club has taken steps to curtail counterfeiting. The tickets for the Tusker match will be printed abroad will have special security features, which according to Gor Mahia boss George Bwana are impossible to reproduce.
This is very true. The so called bouncers are corrupt beyond repair. They’ll even mistreat fans in the name of making money. Printing tickets abroad may help but all in all, they should be displined and put the club before them because they are paid. They should be happy with the pay rather than steal from the club. Shame on the officials who are behind the scheme.
@Bachu, 4get the bouncers Admin has 4 the first time highlighted a section of an article 2 SHOW SERIOUSNESS.
Officials intervene 4 the release of apprehended fake ticket sellers.The bouncers r also under the control of such officials.Even printing tickets in heaven won’t help. AR if you can’t sort ua own committee why should we elect u.
We must restructure our membership, reduce the size of the EC TO 4 OFFICIALS MAX. WE MUST AVOID UNKNOWNS. WE MUST DECIDE WHO WE WANT 2 LEAD GM LEST ONLY CROOKS VIE
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we dont need these pple calling themselves Gor Mahia security bcos they’re the curtel behind fake ticket sales and leting their friends to get in without paying or paying less.Nobody can convince me that the money which were collected on the Mashemeji derby were that little and that was bcos of these pple calling themselves Gor mahia security or bouncers.If we cannot do away with these pple then we should not complain.
The Kogalo Nation must hold officials accountable specifically the officials responsible for this mess. The club cannot be held back to enrich a few people like this “baba mercy” fellow who is soiling his daughters name. With the money we should have raised, we could be paying better money to players or investing in a training ground for the club.
@Joe, Baba Mercy is a salesman no wonder his bosses come to his release as soon as he is arrested!
let not some people be above the law,it is not acceptable