The mockery and tongue-in-cheek banter on our Cape Town media Whatsapp group summed up the scandalous behaviour of the Bayhill Premier Cup’s organisers.
I guess it’s safe to say my fellow peers were just as appalled and stunned when they were notified by organizers via email that an entry fee will be required to cover the 36th edition of this Easter spectacle which kicks off on Wednesday (16 April) and ends with the Final on Easter Monday.
This charge pertains to action for day one as things are “chaotic” and that assistance may not be readily available. And, as a media person, if you want parking inside for the duration of the tournament, you have to fork out R400 for Special Accreditation.
So, I ask the question, what happened to their planning as they had 365 days to sort themselves out and make sure that all the necessary arrangements have been made – and that includes parking for journalists who have to carry heavy equipment and expensive cameras and lenses around.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around this because never in my career as a journalist covering a sporting event, especially football, have I been told to pay an entry fee at the event – or even parking for that matter.
Not even the World Cup organising committee, not the Olympics, not the African Cup of Nations., attached a fee to journalists who have the necessary accreditation, to endure entry to an event. One could maybe have understood if the money made went towards the young players who make this tournament the great event that it has become.
Well, Bayhill organisers have now shown they are the exception to the norm, but have they become an organisation driven by money – or greed? Have profit become more important than getting the message of young football talent out into the open.
The late Roger Clayton, one of the founder members and driving force of this Easter tournament must be turning in his grave. He would NEVER have allowed this to happen.
Mr ‘Bayhill,’ as Clayton was referred to, was not only a people’s person that was in touch with the football public, but also an individual that knew what value the media brings to a tournament of this magnitude.
Clayton was extremely pedantic when it came to matters of the Bayhill preserving a good narrative for the event, hence he was always available to assist the media where he could – and if not, Clayton would have put you in contact with someone that would be able to assist with whatever query was thrown his way.
This is why I feel that Clayton’s legacy of the true spirit of Ubuntu is slowly but surely dying out as to mandate journalists to pay for entry sums it all up.
And yes, one has to give the Bayhill organisers a feather in the cap for honouring him and keeping his legacy alive with the Roger Clayton Cup’, but what good is a piece of metal if the true spirit and essence of this event is non-existent.
I mean, the tournament is a platform for young players, referees and coaches where they are given the opportunity to show what they are made of. Now, the very people who year after year highlight the outstanding performance and help put these very players on the map, are being driven away by individuals who appear to be more focused on self-enrichment.
As a boisterous late colleague of mine who had covered this tournament for years before his death would probably have said: THIS IS BULLSHIT!
3 Responses
Also making it difficult for non media outlet affiliated photographers to be able to gain access, as they state they have a limited amount of accreditations they can issue, limited space in other words, since when are photographers who do not work for any media outlet being given any chance of capturing this event or any other event for that matter, we are community based photographers who try and support these events but are not given the chance to do so, due to you either needing a editor of newspaper as a contact. Eish 🫣
When you hear of such an abhorrent monetary arrangement, you realise that money-grabbing schemes are becoming the norm, which these perpetrators expect people to buy in. This practice by the organisers is tantamount to extortion, as it’s a case of the end satisfies the means. Monetary opportunism should always be treated with the contempt it deserves. Bullying has no place on this planet, as it clearly indicates absolutely, completely, totally and utterly zero integrity amongst the sporting fraternity. This situation reminds me of the status quo in which Bananaland [SA] finds itself. Shameless practices have no place in sport.
The media has been responsible for the marketing, news and reporting of the tournament through the years since inception. This has absolutely added to the lure of qualifying and playing in the tournament. To the journalists, I would advise a boycott and blackout of the tournament should they insist on asking for payment to access the venue.