AFC Leopards’ revenue from gate collection has been on a downward trajectory for the past decade, according to the club’s audit reports from 2012 to 2021, and so has their performance.However, there is a glimmer of hope 14 matches into the 2022/2023 campaign on both fronts, if the Mashemeji Derby is something to go with but there is still a lot of work to be done.A look into AFC Leopards 2021 financialsWithout a doubt, Ingwe faithfuls have been been the most consistent set of fans in the current campaign, and in the recent past since the ban of fans on stadia due to health risks occasioned by the covid-19 pandemic was lifted, but can they hit the same numbers they hit in 2012?They have thronged home matches to be specific and even went a step ahead to travel for away matches as seen when the team traveled to Mombasa to play Bandari FC in January where quite a number of fans traveled also.About yesterday’s #MashemejiDerby.Great attendance with awesome fans mostly in BLUE 💙.We take this opportunity to THANK the fans for making the 92nd Mashemeji Derby a SUCCESS.OURS FOREVER 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/XNTXPJm07x— AFC Leopards Fans. (@IngweFans) January 30, 2023 The 2020 Mashemeji Derby hosted by Ingwe in March at Kasarani Stadium, just days before the country was put under strict covid-19 restrictions, remains the best-attended one as per the official figures released by the club.Ingwe announced that a total of 15,297 tickets were sold, 266 of them being VIP tickets as the club went on to collect Ksh 3,139,200.This year, the club announced that 10,626 tickets were sold, with 461 being VIP tickets as they collected a total of 3,330,500 shillings minus expenses.After a poor start to the 2022/23 campaign that had seen them fail to string consecutive wins in their opening nine matches, Ingwe won three back-to-back matches just in time for the Mashemeji Derby and they continue their five matches unbeaten run and it remains to be seen whether the same will have an impact on attendance and eventually gate collection. 2012 was the best year for AFC Leopards in terms of gate collection in the period being highlighted, with their total takings from gate charges amounting to Ksh 14,692,001 million.It was also a year they had one of their best performances in recent times as they finished third with 57 points, the most they have accumulated in the time under consideration.Despite there being an additional four matches per season since 2017 when the top tier was expanded to accommodate a total of 18 teams from 16, the closest Ingwe came to amassing such points was in 2018 when they finished the season eighth with 51 points.A look at the amounts they have been collecting from gate charges vis-a-vis their performance in the league shows a direct correlation. In the years that Leopards performed well in the leagues, they managed to attract more fans and more fans which in turn resulted to more gate collections, an observation backed by one of the club’s faithfuls, Emmanuel Mketu.2016 marked their lowest point in terms of performance as they narrowly evaded relegations after finishing 13th in a 16-team league with 30, and the same was reflected in the amount they collected from the gate.##NAJAVA_MECA_6988960##The club is currently enjoying their biggest sponsorship deal yet, per season, with Ksh 65M being pumped in by their sponsor.Apart from in 2015 when they did not have a sponsor after ending their relations with Mumias Sugar, they had the least amount coming from sponsorship in 2012 as the Millers pumped in only Ksh 23,491,166. Evidently, gate charges played a big role in ensuring the club run its activities well that year with the contribution from that front amounting to more than half of what they were getting from sponsorship.Gate collection is an area where AFC leopards have a lot of potential, and if they can maximize on that to get at least a third of the amount they are getting from their sponsors it would be a huge boost.Perhaps, they would not be operating on deficits as huge as Ksh 28,833,758 as it was in 2020 and Ksh 27,069,498 in 2021, as per the last available audited report.What a smooth sail it would be for Ingwe!
