Chiefs vs Pirates derby forced to play second fiddle to circus at FNB Stadium

Next month’s Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium was moved from October 28 to October 21 because it clashed with a stunt circus.

The Nitro Circus – a daredevil action sports act involving motorbikes‚ cars and bicyles – had been booked by the company that runs FNB Stadium‚ Stadium Management SA‚ for October 28 well before the Premier Soccer League (PSL) fixtures were released.

The PSL apparently were unaware of the clash when they scheduled their 2017-18 fixtures‚ which were released in early August.

Companies promoting the Nitro Circus had already begun advertising the event for October 28 by May.

Chiefs’ communications manager Vina Maphosa said the club had been informed of the change in date‚ but not the reason for it.

This derby will be Amakhosi’s home game‚ and Chiefs are the permanent tenants of the stadium.

Maphosa‚ though‚ said there was no reason for Chiefs to feel disappointed that a match of the magnitude of the derby was being rescheduled because of a clash with an action circus.

“We received correspondence of the change of date of the fixture. We will follow up on the reason‚” Maphosa said.

“It might look like that (that the derby had to make way for a circus)‚ but remember the fixtures are released as a draft at the start of the season.

“And there are many teams playing in Caf (continental club football)‚ so these types of changes are not surprising.”

 - TimesLIVE