FKF Premier League legends AFC Leopards has marked a significant shift towards digital ticketing after collecting a staggering Ksh1.4 million through ticket sales.
The club made the collection on Sunday, October 1 as the 12-time Kenyan Champions hosted Shabana FC at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in the Premier League clash.
According to the official club statement released on Tuesday, a total of 6,152 tickets were sold for the FKF Kenya Premier League match, which took place in the densely populated Lang’ata area.
“We hosted Shabana FC on Sunday in a match we fully went digital on ticketing.
The well attended match in Lang’ata saw 653 VIP tickets and 5,499 Terrace tickets sold, garnering a total of Ksh.1,426,300,” read part of the club’s statement.
According to the club’s Chairman Dan Shikanda, the figures recorded highlight the diversity of fans who turned up to support their beloved club.
AFC Leopards go digital
Moreover, he asserted that the success of this inaugural e-ticketing method signals a promising future for AFC Leopards.
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The match between AFC Leopards and Shabana was a sell-out event. The Ulinzi Sports Complex, with a capacity of 7,500, was filled to the brim.
At the same time, the buzz around the match was palpable, with fans from both sides converging on the stadium as early as 11 am.
Likewise, e-ticketing platform’s debut for stadium access proved to be a vital step toward the sustainability of AFC Leopards.
“While the ticketing process went smoothly, it was not without its challenges. Some impatient fans necessitated security intervention, but valuable lessons were learned, and the club is committed to ensuring smoother e-ticketing experiences in future matches,” read the club’s statement.
The Match
Regular tickets were priced at Ksh 200, while VIP tickets went for Ksh 500.
Notable figures such as Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba and Kisii Governor Simba Arati were among those in attendance, adding prestige to the event.
On the pitch, Ingwe took an early lead in the 13th minute when Brian Yakhama converted a penalty, only for Shabana to equalize through Peter Ongechi’s strike in the 21st minute.
Despite the draw, the match was a resounding success for AFC Leopards, both in terms of attendance and revenue generation.
Tom Juma’s side find themselves in the 15th position with four points while Shabana stand on 16th in the 18-team table, having collected just three points from five matches.
AFC will be looking to maintain the momentum of their successful e-ticketing debut in their upcoming match against arch-rivals Gor Mahia FC.
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The club expressed their appreciation for the fantastic turnout and encouraged fans to embrace e-Ticketing once again for the eagerly anticipated Mashemeji Derby.
The clash will be played at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Saturday, October 7.
“E-ticketing for AFC Leopards home matches is here to stay and shall be used for the much-awaited Mashemeji Derby.
Kindly plan accordingly, buy your tickets early and show up early to support our team,” concluded the statement.”