Ticket increase

It's disappointing really when I read the papers yesterday morning. I discovered that FAS has decided to increase the prices of tickets for this wednesday final showdown between Singapore and Thailand. As this is the last time a football match will be played at Kallang, the FAS anticipates that it will be a fullhouse.

This is why, as patriotic Singaporeans, we cannot allow this to happen. Why? We are turning up in droves to support our National Team. Like celebrating the National Day, it is a symbolism of our pride for our country. This pride and nationlistic fervour cannot be exploited for the sake of a price increase. FAS must understand that the reason we come to support the Lions is not a God given right.

The fans can see it for themselves that the football on display is no where near the quality that we are used to on telly when the likes of Man Utd and Arsenal slug it out against each other. For all the hype surrounding the Singapore and Malaysian game, the football dished out was mediocre at best. Both teams struggled to conjure anything that will inspire the fans to flock to the stadium week in week out.

The standard of the football in this region needs to be thoroughly improved before the FAS can even smell of increasing the ticket prices. There is a reason why the FAS is making a loss in this tournament. And the reason is the fact that the football is crap. Increasing prices to exploit the masses now that one of the 4 games held in the National Stadium is a sell out, is daylight robbery.

It's time for the FAS to allow Singaporeans to display their nationalism. Not everything is about dollars and cents. Sadly, the FAS does not see it that way. They need a wake up call of empty seats and a hollow stadium to know this fact. And you can count on me doing my part on NOT being there this coming wednesday. Kallang roar or not, we shall not be exploited.