Last Wednesday, the BFF held a press conference about the Bangladesh Under-20 Women’s team. When asked about tickets at that conference, it was said that they would be given in a press release. The BFF gave information about ticket sales a day before the tournament. The stadium was largely empty during the SAFF Under-20 Women’s Tournament that started today (Friday) at the Kings Arena. The media has today put the BFF in the dock for poor publicity and ticket management.
Mahfuza Akhter Kiran, the chairman of the Bangladesh Women’s Football Committee, is the unwritten rule. That Kiran pushed the issue of lack of spectators and tickets to the marketing committee, saying, ‘I don’t do this work, I don’t know what marketing did.’ Such comments from a responsible position are a manifestation of the federation’s internal lack of coordination. Although the chairman of the women’s committee got away with that comment, BFF Vice President and Marketing Committee Chairman Fahad Karim gave more misleading information. After the chairman of the women’s wing, questions regarding tickets and spectators were put to the chairman of the marketing committee. His reply was, ‘We only play the host role, we usually clarify that. You will know about this clearly.’
The comment of the BFF Vice President and Marketing Committee Chairman is not correct. The tickets themselves belong to the host country. The host country determines the price and method of selling tickets. When contacted by this reporter, Purushtottam Cattel, the current general secretary of SAFF, said, “The ticket rights for all SAFF tournaments belong to the host country. It is entirely up to the host country how they will sell the tickets. We also have a policy in this regard.”
There is only one article in the bylaws of the SAFF U-20 Women’s Tournament regarding tickets. Article 51.1 clearly states that it is entirely up to the organizing association (host country) whether tickets will be available for entry into the stadium or not. Article 52.1 of the ticketing terms and conditions states that the host country is responsible for the design, printing, distribution and sale of tickets. Despite the clear mention in the bylaws, the main responsibility of the women’s wing was placed on the marketing committee. The marketing committee pushed the ball into SAFF’s court by giving false information.
The BFF’s marketing committee was very active with the Bangladesh-Singapore match in the Asian Cup qualifiers. The SAFF U-20 Women’s Tournament is an international tournament. There was no much publicity or special activities by the marketing committee regarding that tournament. The interest of the spectators, sponsors and media in the Hamza-Samit match will definitely be there. If the women’s team tournament at the Kings Arena could be made attractive and lively, the marketing committee would be considered a real success. The chairman of the marketing committee did not take responsibility for the BFF, but instead put it on the shoulders of SAFF! Yet the chairman of the marketing committee is the one who talks the most about modernity and professionalism among the BFF officials.
FAQ
What is the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship?
It is a regional football tournament featuring under-20 women’s national teams from South Asian countries, organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF).
Why is the BFF being criticized?
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is under criticism for poor ticketing management and a lack of proper publicity, which led to mostly empty stands during the opening match.
What went wrong with the ticketing process?
Tickets were not made available early or promoted properly. The public received key information just a day before the tournament, leaving fans unprepared.
Were fans interested in attending the match?
Yes, but due to the lack of awareness and last-minute updates, many were either confused or unaware that tickets were even available.
