Before the Cape Town Stadium Visitors Centre closed down, I had the privilege of attending a show at the Centre. In the show the performers spoke of how Green Point common was used as a sports ground by slaves and how during the early years of Apartheid it was the ground where many Cape Town football clubs, such as Sea Point Swifts, played their soccer. It was explained that because of the Group Areas Act, many of the communities that had used Green Point common as a sports ground were forced to other areas in the Western Cape, which resulted in a club such as Sea Point Swifts retaining their name, but playing out of the Bonteheuwel community.
We now have the unique honour as Capetonians to have a magnificent stadium on the site of the former Green Point commons. The stadium has brought soccer back to a place where it was played by many of our forefathers. Also the stadium will play host to eight World Cup soccer matches. What is going to happen to the stadium after the World Cup?
Many have said that the stadium will become a White Elephant. Western Province Rugby have said that both Western Province and the Stormers will continue to play their rugby games at Newlands, and since Western Province Rugby have the rights to host Springbok games in Cape Town it is likely that all Springbok games will be played at Newlands too. So what will become of Cape Town stadium after the World Cup?
As I have said, the stadium is built on a historical piece of land that was used by our forefathers to play the game of soccer. Because of the FIFA World Cup, soccer will again be played on this site. In Cape Town we are fortunate to have three top soccer sides playing in Cape Town. For those of you that do not know, the teams are: Ajax Cape Town, Santos and Vasco Da Gama. It is these local soccer sides that will have the opportunity to use the Cape Town Stadium after the World Cup. And it is up to us as Capetonians to go out and attend the matches that they play, thereby insuring that our stadium in Cape Town does not become a white elephant.
I’ve heard all the complaints about dagga in the stadiums and the poor quality of soccer played by the local soccer teams. I will remind everyone that no matter how many drunk idiots are at Newlands, and no matter how poorly the Stormers have played in the past, the rugby sides in Cape Town enjoy good attendance at Newlands. So why not soccer? As Capetonians, are we going to allow a stadium that has given us the right to reclaim land in the heart of the Mother City to become a White Elephant? I for one aim to make a difference, and you can too.
I urge you, my fellow Capetonians to start supporting one of the three Cape Town soccer sides. Yes, you may have to sacrifice watching a few overseas soccer matches on TV, but if you can just pick one of these sides as YOUR TEAM – go and attend 5 of their matches at the new Cape Town Stadium – then you will be making a difference in your own city.
How easy would it be for you to arrange for 20 of your family and friends to attend 5 local soccer matches at the Cape Town Stadium? If 100 of us do this, then there will be 2000 Capetonians in the stands. If 1000 of us do this, then there will be 20 000 people in the stands. We can do this Cape Town.
We can SAVE THE WHITE ELEPHANT!!!
We now have the unique honour as Capetonians to have a magnificent stadium on the site of the former Green Point commons. The stadium has brought soccer back to a place where it was played by many of our forefathers. Also the stadium will play host to eight World Cup soccer matches. What is going to happen to the stadium after the World Cup?
Many have said that the stadium will become a White Elephant. Western Province Rugby have said that both Western Province and the Stormers will continue to play their rugby games at Newlands, and since Western Province Rugby have the rights to host Springbok games in Cape Town it is likely that all Springbok games will be played at Newlands too. So what will become of Cape Town stadium after the World Cup?
As I have said, the stadium is built on a historical piece of land that was used by our forefathers to play the game of soccer. Because of the FIFA World Cup, soccer will again be played on this site. In Cape Town we are fortunate to have three top soccer sides playing in Cape Town. For those of you that do not know, the teams are: Ajax Cape Town, Santos and Vasco Da Gama. It is these local soccer sides that will have the opportunity to use the Cape Town Stadium after the World Cup. And it is up to us as Capetonians to go out and attend the matches that they play, thereby insuring that our stadium in Cape Town does not become a white elephant.
I’ve heard all the complaints about dagga in the stadiums and the poor quality of soccer played by the local soccer teams. I will remind everyone that no matter how many drunk idiots are at Newlands, and no matter how poorly the Stormers have played in the past, the rugby sides in Cape Town enjoy good attendance at Newlands. So why not soccer? As Capetonians, are we going to allow a stadium that has given us the right to reclaim land in the heart of the Mother City to become a White Elephant? I for one aim to make a difference, and you can too.
I urge you, my fellow Capetonians to start supporting one of the three Cape Town soccer sides. Yes, you may have to sacrifice watching a few overseas soccer matches on TV, but if you can just pick one of these sides as YOUR TEAM – go and attend 5 of their matches at the new Cape Town Stadium – then you will be making a difference in your own city.
How easy would it be for you to arrange for 20 of your family and friends to attend 5 local soccer matches at the Cape Town Stadium? If 100 of us do this, then there will be 2000 Capetonians in the stands. If 1000 of us do this, then there will be 20 000 people in the stands. We can do this Cape Town.
We can SAVE THE WHITE ELEPHANT!!!
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