Football club makes subscriptions free for 200,000 residents from 10 municipalities: “We want more experience in the stadium” (Harelbeke)

The glory days of the Harelbeek football club in the highest class of national football have been behind us for a while. “Against Lokeren, we attracted about 1,200 spectators in the Forrestiers stadium, which has a capacity of 10,000,” says trainer Bruno Derveaux. “But a normal match we play in front of a few hundred spectators. With the action, the club wants more experience in the stadium, I hope it works. Because for everyone, including our group of players, a few hundred extra supporters would be a great stimulus.”

Identity card

In concrete terms, you can request a free subscription via the website or at the secretariat of the club. “On presentation of your identity card, where we look at the place of issue, we will create a subscription card. This is possible from July to the end of August,” says Bart Deschepper of the Harelbeek club board. “And that does not only apply to residents of Harelbeke, but also of Kortrijk, Waregem, Ingelmunster, Kuurne, Lendelede, Oostrozebeke, Wielsbeke, Deerlijk and Zwevegem.”

“need renewal”

Financially it is quite an effort, on the other hand, all those people will also drink a pint or otherwise spend money in the stadium, KRC hopes. “It is also a nice gesture to our regular audience, who paid 80 euros for a subscription in the past,” it sounds. “If everyone applies for a free subscription, we will have a problem, because it concerns a region with 200,000 inhabitants. Then even our current stadium would be much too small. But we are counting on several hundred additional subscriptions: that would already be a good result.”

According to the trainer, it is also a social measure. “These are expensive times, everyone is still licking the wounds of the Covid period. And a ticket or subscription for a football match is already a considerable chunk of their budget for many people. In addition, take the competition of football coverage on television, directly or indirectly, then you know that innovation is needed to get people back to the stadium. We play in the second national and I can guarantee that football is already being played here at a good level. So I fully support this action by the club.”