CAPE TOWN - It may previously have been like oil and water mixing, but Cape Town City FC chairman John Comitis is "encouraged" that football and rugby can co-exist at the Cape Town Stadium.
In fact, Comitis is "excited" with the potential economic advantages that both codes can enjoy now that the Western Province Rugby Union are also based at the former 2010 Fifa World Cup venue.
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City have been the sole regular sporting tenants at Cape Town Stadium since their inception four years ago.
"We are delighted in the way we have been received by the Cape Town Stadium. Obviously with their involvement now in rugby, and the kind of deals they have been able to put together with corporates coming into play. Other sponsors coming into play like DHL, who are actually saying we need football," Comitis told a press briefing at the club's offices this week.
"It's not about exclusivity. In fact, on the contrary, they want football to be part of the whole agreement in the way the stadium is being run."
Although no spectators are allowed to attend sporting events due to the country's lockdown restrictions under Level 1 at the moment, Comitis does have visions of Cape Town Stadium hosting a sporting extravaganza when fans are eventually allowed back.
"Being the present club that has consistently played there the last four years, the intention is to have us there for all 15 games and accommodate us as a priority with rugby," he said.
"If there is a weekend where there is rugby too, we will work out which days we play and which days they play. And who knows at some point we may have a double-header with rugby which could be a great bonanza for the fans.
"The good thing is that there are a lot of corporations out there that are committed to rugby over the years, and I am damn sure they have football loving employees that would love to use the suites on the days when we play.
"We can bring 15 games to the stadium and rugby will also have 15 games. I am just very encouraged by the attitude they have taken towards us and it could be the beginning of some great events for football again where there is a lot of razzmatazz around the game."
For all the developments off the field at The Citizens, Comitis though knows none of it will matter if City are not a success on the field. They currently occupy seventh position on the Dstv Premiership log ahead of their crucial clash against SuperSport United at home on Saturday. Comitis hopes this will kickstart the turnaround they desperately seek.
"We have nine games left of the season. There is no tactics. We just need to win. We need to be tucked into the top eight. Whilst the football we are playing, it is mind boggling that we are not in the top four. But there are moments in the game, lapses of concentration, that we are not getting the results that we are deserving of at times," he said.
"The players need to step up. They need to be accountable because this is certainly a top squad that we have put together. I am very confident that we will persevere. If you remember in the bubble last year we actually won the quarter, so I am confident we will change it around."
Comitis also said that the Hartleyvale Stadium project remains on the cards, although that is a long-term vision that could take up to four years to complete.