Lukewarm Response to the Launch of DStv Compact Cup Despite R1m Prize for Lucky Fan

• The DStv Compact Cup allows players to choose players for a squad in the same format as the Carling Black Label Cup involving Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs
• However, the difference is that this takes place on a national stage, with the selected players coming from four regional groups
• Social media is lukewarm to the idea, seeing it as an unnecessary competition designed to distract South Africans from the fact that Bafana Bafana won't be at Afcon 2022

The launch of the DStv Compact Cup was met with a fairly indifferent response by local football fans on social media. The competition will take place in the week of 22 to 29 January, at the same time as the African Cup of Nations tournament South Africa did not qualify for.

The gimmicky competition is of a similar vein to the Carling Black Label Cup involving Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, in that fans get to vote for what they want. The twist, however, is that they get to select players they want to see from all 16 clubs in DSTV Premiership included into four select squads, like the NBA All-Star Game.

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In detail, these clubs are divided into four regional groups, two from the coast and two that are inland, in line with club geographical location:

• Coastal Group 1: AmaZulu FC; Golden Arrows FC; Maritzburg United; Royal AM FC

• Coastal Group 2: Cape Town City FC; Stellenbosch FC; Chippa United FC; Baroka FC (exception)

• Inland Group 1: SuperSport Utd; Mamelodi Sundowns FC; Marumo Gallants; Sekhukhune Utd

• Inland Group 2: Orlando Pirates FC; Kaizer Chiefs FC; Swallows FC; TS Galaxy FC

Fans then select 26 players from each group, who will then be included in a team that will represent its respective region in a semifinal-to-final format, with a third/fourth place playoff contested by the losers of the semifinal matches. The fans also have the chance to name each team, with the best names selected at the end of this month.

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“This is yet another amazing innovation. It will be refreshing that the responsibility of team selection, technical team and name choice will reside with the fans," said Premier Soccer League chairman Irvin Khoza, on the organisations website.

"The roles are now reversed, and we will come out better informed about the fans’ understanding of player chemistry through their team selections.”

The winning team will take home R1 million, while a lucky DStv Compact subscriber will also win that amount for participating in the voting process.

For all its innovative appeal, Mzansi social media dwellers were not entirely convinced, with one of them even claiming that the competition was his idea, originally.

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They are odds-on to clinch the DStv Premiership title with halfway in the season having just been reached, as reported by Briefly News.

In the process, they are chasing records that have yet to be achieved since the advent of the Premier Soccer League.