Surrey Stars players raise aloft the Jayden Memorial Cup, the team beat Rewa 3-0 in the final at the Bear Creek Park in Surrey
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Local Sports
FOOTBALL clubs often hold their year-end parties to merely garner funds. It is, what it is.
It is not per say, teams have had a successful season and or has made a huge stride towards one, the organization felt compelled to throw a party as an appreciation.
The pomp, sure enough comes at the invitees cost.
December and January have been earmarked as the party months, it is when most footballing organizations sell the events at a price and use the occasion to sing their praise for acknowledgments.
And as much as they think they’re inclusive of the guests, it is cordial with the intent of selling the place to capacity for a financial gain.
How often has an organization included the public to be part of their celebrations for free, the old fashion way?.
Lautoka Masters, who won the North American Fijian Soccer Association championship is one exception of a self-funded party that deserves plaudits, the organization held a private function much to the delight of the players, fans and invited guests.
The team, not only presented its players with trophies, which has somewhat become a revered hardware but track-suits and other gifts.
This was a farfetched party, such parties are unheard off in the local football fraternity.
Just about all the parties are being shouldered by the public and donor funds.
It is all under the, ‘Dinner and Dance’ gig.
Sudesh Nand, a sports fanatic was recently invited to a club’s party, an acquaintance of a footballer on the club and him, a small contributor.
Nand was of the understanding that the party was to celebrate the club’s success.
He accepted the invite and praised the head honchos for their unerring thought and foresight.
But what transpired on the day of the event, had him ticked.
“I received a call from the very man who had invited me to the function asking if I had purchased tickets. My response, was it just a party on invite or pay- party.
“I said, the team had done well during the season and I was off the opinion that the organization would hold an appreciation night for the players without a cover”.
Nand says he was not too impressed with the explanation, added a $20 ticket is not a huge amount as he spends more on his hobby expenses, it’s the deception with which organizations siphon public funds to their advantage.
“So basically, the whole sell is a hoax.
“This (Name withheld) organization and many others make it sound too good to be true, we know something that sounds like so, isn’t true”.
He argues, such parties are just to cash in with some mediocre entertainment, the ever-usual tuck, speeches, whole bunch of awards and that money bags in the name of ‘A team’s achievements’.
“It's all about the cash grab, if you will”.
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