Cricket SA (CSA) will be the first federation to welcome fans back to stadiums for domestic matches, after the organisation announced on Sunday that a maximum of 2,000 fully vaccinated supporters can buy tickets for the T20 Knockout competition from Monday.
CSA announced tickets will go on sale to the public at 9am on Monday and will be sold for R50 for the remainder of the matches of the T20 competition, which is at the quarterfinal stages.
With a vaccine certificate, ID and a ticket in hand, fans will be allowed through the turnstiles to watch South Western District take on the Titans at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley from 10am on Tuesday, and later the Knights against Western Province at 2pm in the first set of quarterfinal matches at the same venue.
The Dolphins face off against the Warriors in the early match on Thursday, followed by the Paarl Rocks and North West Dragons to complete the quarterfinals.
We would like to remind and encourage all sports lovers to ensure that they are fully vaccinated to improve the health situation in the country and to hopefully reduce the Covid-19 numbers, as this will eventually see more fans allowed in stadiums.
— CSA acting CEO Pholetsi Moseki
CSA said there will be an “outer ring” created at the Diamond Oval before the turnstiles open, where security will validate that every spectator gaining access to the precinct is fully vaccinated. While fully vaccinated vendors will be allowed to trade, there will be no alcohol sales or consumption in the vicinity of the match venue.
CSA acting CEO Pholetsi Moseki said tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. “Due to limited capacity and to minimise disappointment, we encourage cricket fans and sports followers to get their tickets as soon as sales open. We would like to remind and encourage all sports lovers to ensure that they are fully vaccinated to improve the health situation in the country and to hopefully reduce the Covid-19 numbers, as this will eventually see more fans allowed in stadiums.”
CSA said capacity will be split over suites, stands and the grass embankments. Ticket sales will be conducted online only, in line with health and safety regulations, to reduce interaction with spectators. The online function will allow fans to download and self-print the tickets in a PDF format. Access control will follow the normal protocols, with the ticket and accreditation cards strictly monitored to provide a detailed log of all access to the stadium.
The move is in line with the amended regulation 69 of the Disaster Management Act, which allows 2,000 fans at sporting venues. The SA Football Association (Safa) became the first to welcome back fully vaccinated supporters last week, when Bafana Bafana beat Ethiopia 1-0 in their 2022 Qatar Fifa World Cup qualifier in front of about 2,000 spectators at FNB Stadium. It marked the first time fans returned to a sports venue in SA in over 18 months.
The Safa hierarchy said because the return of fans against Ethiopia was a pilot project that was a success, the association is considering allowing more than 20,000 fully vaccinated fans to attend Bafana’s next home match against Zimbabwe on November 11.
The successful hosting of fans at the Bafana game was celebrated across the country and it is believed that the Premier Soccer League will follow in Safa’s footsteps.
There was a glimmer of hope last week after the league’s executive committee resolved to use the October 30 MTN8 final, between Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, as a pilot for the return of fans to stadiums for domestic football. The league’s executive committee said it will meet again this week to assess the outcome of its consultation process and communicate its approach.
The PSL returned this weekend without fans, after the Fifa international weekend. SA Rugby has also announced that rugby fans will return to stadiums.
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