Aminul vows to raise fans' ticket concerns with SAFF

Widespread frustration has erupted among football fans in Bangladesh over ticket prices for the upcoming SAFF Championship, prompting the State Minister for Sports to promise intervention after supporters staged protests outside the national stadium.

The anger centers on the organisers' decision to set the minimum ticket price at Tk1,000 for a mandatory 'day pass' covering two matches. Fans and student groups have branded the pricing as exclusionary, demanding the option to purchase cheaper, single-match tickets.

State Minister for Sports Aminul Haque addressed the unrest on Sunday following an exhibition match between the 2003 SAFF-winning team and the 2010 SA Games gold medalists. While noting the matter is out of the Bangladesh Football Federation's (BFF) hands, he assured fans he would request the regional body to reconsider.

"From what I have heard, this matter is not in the hands of the BFF, it is vested with the SAFF committee and the sponsor company," Aminul told reporters. "Football is the sport of life in Bangladesh. Many supporters have protested. Still, if there is any scope left, I will request the BFF to speak with SAFF and see if the ticket prices can be reconsidered out of respect for the fans' emotions."

Outside the stadium, supporter groups remained vocal about the financial strain the day pass creates.

"We are general spectators, and a majority of the crowd will be students," said Mehedi Hasan Ovi, founder of the Union Bengal supporter group. "For them, a 1,000 Taka ticket is way too much. Why should I watch two matches with one ticket? Why will I be forced? I want to buy a ticket for one match and watch that one. This is absolutely unacceptable."

Rafi Iqbal, founder of the Red and Green Army, echoed the sentiment, calling the ticketing strategy an oppression of general fans. "A commission business is going on with the SAFF tickets," he said. "Instead of taking steps to increase football's popularity, they are driving fans away."

Facing mounting criticism, Sajib Rashid, CEO of the tournament's organising firm TSA Sports & Entertainment, defended the pricing structure, citing logistical hurdles and soaring production costs.

"I do not have the authority to say what the BFF will or will not consider; I can only speak on behalf of TSA," Rashid said. "The price of a single match is fine, as Tk1,000 has been a standard from the last AFC qualifying match. But because two matches are bundled together, it feels somewhat inflated. We tried a lot, but due to logistical barriers, we genuinely could not find any other way but to issue a day pass for two matches at the same stadium on the same day."

Rashid noted the issue was heavily debated at the inter-ministerial level and by SAFF, but separating the tickets proved impossible. He also dismissed suggestions to lower the price for matches not featuring the host nation.

"When you organise a tournament, you have to be fair with everyone," Rashid explained. "SAFF followed the bylaws. You cannot be unfair and say ticket prices for team X will be high and team Y will be low. It will have an impact on attendance, but that is a strategic call. You have to maintain balance, just like how we rotate the best training facilities fairly among all teams."

Despite the backlash, Rashid rejected the notion that football popularity is low in Bangladesh and confirmed that early ticket sales have been very strong, with indications of a full house for the tournament opener on the 5th.

He pointed to a massive upgrade in tournament standards as the primary driver behind the costs. The upcoming SAFF Championship will feature Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology for the first time in the region, alongside international match officials drawn from outside the SAFF continent.

"There are a lot of expenses," Rashid said. "Post-COVID, air tickets and accommodation prices are really high globally. To balance all those things, keeping the ticket price the same as the previous AFC tournament was the least we could do. We did not increase it."

Rashid stressed that fans will get their money's worth, noting the broadcast feed will reach over 150 countries and the opening ceremony features a performer who previously appeared at the World Cup.

"Everything comes at a price, and this has to be accepted," Rashid added. "You know what the highest ticket price was for Messi's last match, and everyone felt that was how it should be. So why should we belittle Jamal and Hamza? I do not see a point. I do not think this money will ever stand as a barrier to our country's love for football."