Rugby Goes To Soweto? Come off it, man!

So all through last week, all I was hearing about the Test match between South Africa versus New Zealand was the buzz. Rugby goes to Soweto. Sure, the FNB Stadium might be in the vicinity of Soweto, although some might argue that point too, but the Test was misrepresented as a rugby match for the people of Soweto.

Well, from what I saw of the crowd, it didn't look any different to the crowd you find at Newlands or Loftus Versfeld. I don't mind that the game was at the FNB Stadium, but I do have a gripe with the way this fixture it was marketed. The Springboks versus All Blacks game is the biggest game of the year and probably one of only a handful of rugby internationals that can pull a crowd of over eighty thousand. So very clearly, the biggest sporting arena in the land for the biggest rugby game in the land is all about the money. Hey, we already know this, you don't have to say it explicitly but don't shove horse shit down our throats and tell us it tastes like candy.

The game had nothing to do with the people of Soweto. Sure, there were a set number of tickets allocated for Soweto residents only, but the fact that the tickets were priced at R250 a shot disqualifies so many from going to the game and watching their national rugby team on their front doorstep, especially when u think about the only other game that fills up the FNB Stadium, the Soweto Derby where the tickets are priced at R40 a shot. It cannot be any clearer.

If the rugby people in suits wanted the people of Soweto to come out and enjoy the rugby, they wouldn't have set the price so high. They can tell us about costs and whatever else, but this game was all about large profit margins. For R250, me and 5 of my mates could go and enjoy the game and have an awesome day out. For the same amount, only one of us can go to the rugby.

When Kings of Leon and U2 perform at Soccer City, they don’t crow about rock music coming to Soweto coz they know we know better. I realise there are so many stakeholders involved in this venture and marketing it the way it was probably benefits a lot more than just the rugby suits and it paints a rosy picture politically, but if you want to market it as a game in Soweto for the people of Soweto, play ball. Make it affordable for the average Sowetan. Simple.