Opinion

The PSL has a chance to change hearts and minds

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Hlompho Kekana of Mamelodi Sundowns, Nathi Mthethwa, Itumeleng Khune of Kaizer Chiefs before a PSL clash between Downs and Chiefs

While leagues across the world entering a short break before the start of their 2020-21 campaigns, the PSL is gearing up for a sprint to complete the 2019-20 season. With not much other action on offer for football fans, the league now has an opportunity to win over the hearts and minds of their detractors, writes DEAN WORKMAN.

We have all heard it before from that fellow fan who has no interest in following our local league in South Africa. Often these fans are passionate supporters of teams across Europe and don’t even bother to give the PSL a chance.

Now, though, the league has the perfect opportunity to win over these cynics with European football entering a short break and the PSL finally getting the go-ahead to resume the 2019-20 campaign.

The local action resumes on 8 August with the Nedbank Cup semi-finals. The mouth-watering prospect of Mamelodi Sundowns vs Bidvest Wits offers fans a unique viewing, with Wits desperate to end the season with silverware following their recent sale to TTM, while Downs are still fighting for a treble, after clinching the Telkom Knockout earlier in the year while they also remain firmly in the hunt for the league title.

That title race promises to go down to the wire with log leader Kaizer Chiefs sitting in pole position to clinch the league and end their five-year trophy drought. The Brazilians, though, are just four points behind with a game in hand, while Orlando Pirates have also shown huge progression under Josef Zinnbauer and have an outside shot at the title.

With South Africa’s big three all in the hunt, coupled with a relegation dogfight with at least eight teams involved, the PSL promises a footballing spectacle which could help attract many viewers for a league still searching for a new title sponsor.

Absa ended its 13-year tenure as title sponsor in June, which has left the league in a difficult financial position as it looks to secure a new sponsor. This restart now offers Khoza and his team the chance to drive the league forward by bringing new fans to the game.

Many South Africans would rather spend their money on Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid and other European giants’ merchandise instead of on local clubs’, with maybe Chiefs and Pirates the only exceptions.

If the league in the country is going to grow, it will need to tap into the huge market of football fans who do not consume their product. Now, with the timing of the restart, it has the perfect opportunity to do just that and propel the PSL forward.