Football
fans hoping to watch the 2013 Carling Black Label Cup derby between Orlando
Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs live at the FNB Stadium, are running out of time.
“Sold Out” signs for the prestigious fixture taking place on Saturday, July 27
are about to go up.
The campaign has again captured the
imagination of South African football fans, with tickets becoming hot
commodities as eager supporters vie to be part of the festivities in what is
one of the most eagerly anticipated features of the domestic football calendar.
Last
year, 81 200 people filled the FNB Stadium, a record for a football match and a
similar turnout is expected this year for the clash that pits fan against fan
as they select the starting XIs for their beloved Soweto giants.
While
South African supporters usually leave their ticket purchases to the last
minute, the 2013 Carling Black Label Cup is almost sold out a month in
advanced, with fans showing unprecedented interest in the fixture.
This
is displayed not only in the number of fans who fill the stadium, but also by
TV audience figures. South African Audience Research Foundation figures show
that almost 5.3-million people watched the game on TV in 2012, making it one of
the most viewed events across all programming in the calendar year. The figure
is also well above the domestic figures for the league derbies between Orlando
Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs in the previous season.
“We
are delighted about the sold out status of the Carling Cup. This is an indicative of the power of this
campaign and how Champion Coaches desire to see their starting line-ups. We are
excited and looking forward to the encounter on, July 27.” said Vijay
Govindsamy, Carling Black Label’s General Manager.
“We
would like to thank our consumers, for the support they have shown to this
initiative from the past two seasons. It certainly appears to have fulfilled
their aspirations,” concluded Govindsamy.
The
two previous instalments of the derby saw closely contested games that where
eventually decide by penalty shoot-out, with Orlando Pirates winning on both
occasions. There is no greater drama in football than a match decided by
spot-kicks, which only added to the excitement on the day for fans at the
stadium and watching on TV.
With the big day approaching fast, fans still
have the opportunity to shape the starting line-up for their team by voting in
the players they want to see selected.
They
can do this by purchasing a Carling Black Label beer and dialling *120*764*.
Fans
must then enter their unique code found on the underside of the bottle cap and
the # sign (with no spaces in between), and can then choose the team they would
like to manage, and the players they would like to see start. The voting is
free of charge to the public and will be closed on midnight, July 22.
Those
supporters who cast their votes can win great prizes, including a share of
R3-million worth of airtime, match tickets to the showpiece event on July 27
and, best of all, a coach’s experience with either Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs
on match day.
That
prize offers a unique opportunity only available through the Carling Black
Label Cup, allowing two lucky fans to experience their team in training, sit in
the pre-match briefing and be part of the dug-out with their favourite team.
This is a once in a life-time experience for adult consumers.
