Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to your storiy "2009 league set to kick off" (April 30, 2009).

Last Saturday, when I arrived in the front of the covered seating at the Olympic Stadium to find a seat, as I do every weekend, to watch the Cambodian Premier League, a few people were telling all the crowd to buy a ticket. All the spectators were surprised but were told they had to buy a ticket at a cost of 4,000 riels, or about US$1. The spectators said it was the first time the FFC has sold tickets for the Premier League and complained that as they like and support Cambodian football, they shouldn't have to pay. The ticket sellers told us the FFC required us to buy the tickets. A few minutes later, some spectators decided to pay and go into the covered seating to  watch the game, but some could not afford the price of the ticket and then they went to find a seat in the sun.

Meanwhile, after buying the ticket, we were amused to see we had been sold fake tickets claiming to be for two matches: one between Laos and Brunei and another between Cambodia and Philippines ... both of which happened in October 2008. Obviously, the kickoff of the league was different - the first match between Kirivong Sok Sen Chey and Khemara Keila, and the second between Build Bright United and Post Tel Club.

The spectators were all grumbling that the FFC sold expensive tickets that were fake. While I understand FFC lacks funding, and I support their initiative to sell the tickets to organise the Premier League, I think the price of the tickets is a bit expensive if compared to Cambodian living standards. However, I think that the federation should categorise ticket prices by seat location to allow Cambodian Premier League fans of all income levels to afford to buy a ticket. I also think all football ticket sellers should wear uniforms and sell real tickets.

Tong Soprach

Phnom Penh

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