Hearts rake in GH¢204,000 from Hearts-Kotoko game

Accra Hearts of Oak grossed a little over GH 204,000 from the gate proceeds in last Sunday’s game against Kumasi Asante Kotoko at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The figure is about GH¢2000 less of what the club realised in last season’s game when they bagged over GH¢206,000  even though last year’s gate fees were maintained for this season’s game.

The amount is less the proceeds from match tickets sold at various outlets which are still being collected.

The shortfall has been attributed to the fire outbreak which gutted the Kantamanto market on the morning of the game.

The Kantamanto  market is known to habour hundreds of supporters of the two clubs.

 According to  Hackman Aidoo, the accountant of Hearts of Oak, most of these supporters suffered huge losses and the situation greatly affected patronage.

Disclosing the proceeds to Graphic Sports yesterday, Aidoo argued that but for the unfortunate incident, the club would have realised a much higher proceeds from what they got last Sunday.

He also blamed the long queues outside the stadium which, according to him, were enough to put off many who could not endure standing for a long time before gaining entry into the stadium.

Aidoo urged  the authorities to institutionalise the advance ticket sales system which he said kept their secretariat busy throughout the week but lessened their burden, stating that it contributed to about 60 per cent of the entire tickets sold.

The accountant said just as last year 37,600 tickets were put out on sale and hinted that the they were still collecting their monies from outlets which distributed the tickets and would soon work out their percentages with the National Sports Authority

Story: Peter Sarbah