Sport Employees Unite (SEU) the representative trade union of non-playing staff in rugby and cricket has added its voice to the calls on the Government to allow more spectators back into the sports stadiums.

“More spectators are crucially needed! Professional sports can not survive with only 2000 spectators! Spectators are the spine of our professional sports teams and we urgently need them back in large numbers”, says Piet Heymans, Chief Executive of SEU.

The financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rugby and cricket has been immense and the essential role that our spectators play in contributing to the financial sustainability of professional rugby and cricket teams are very important.

“All our professional cricket and rugby teams have felt the loss of spectators attending matches, not only financially but also the emotional support and social vibe that give the players that extra motivation to perform. The loss of matchday revenues driven by no or limited spectators has directly impacted many of our members as their employers could not afford any salary increases the past two years and this is starting to have its own social and emotional consequences that negatively influence the well-being of our members”, continues Heymans.

All indications are that the fourth wave is over and the opportunity does now present itself to open up stadiums to at least 50% of its capacity.

“The virus is unpredictable and therefore we believe that the Government must act swiftly to use this window of opportunity to assist and support sporting bodies in getting more spectators back into our stadiums. Cricket and rugby have worked hard to show the Government that it can host COVID compliant matches and now we just need Government to come to the party and allow at least a 50% spectator capacity. If this does not happen soon the financial position of the sports bodies will deteriorate further and could result in job losses and retrenchments, something we can not afford and nobody wants”, concludes Heymans.