Fans to up their game when local derby returns

It is a question of who the fans will select to represent their teams for the upcoming 2021 Carling Black Label Cup and not the team managers.
The local derby between soccer giants from the South Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will make its way back to FNB Stadium on July 31 for the Carling Black Label Cup.
After the derby was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, it will return to the shores of the southern suburbs in an evening match, which will start at 8pm. Due to Covid-19 protocols, the match will be played without any fans in the stadium
But the derby is all about fans who get the opportunity to vote for their respective teams’ players. The format of the two sides will be selected by the fans. Team captains, penalty kicks and substitutions will also fall in the hands of fans, and most of all they will select the Player of the Match.
This allows the fans to be hands-on even if they can’t attend the match at the stadium.
Carling Black Label has also announced that the best fan coach will be selected for both teams and they will be the only two fans in the stadium.
“This, no money can buy and it is a once-off opportunity for those coaches to employ their coaching skills on the day and steer the team they represent to bragging rights of the 2021 Carling Black Label Cup,” Carling Black Label brand director Arné Rust said.
In 2011, Carling Black Label partnered with Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and stadium management to create a fan-focused football fixture so unique it continues to transcend the way fans interact with the game.
The pre-season cup competition was introduced to give fans unprecedented power and influence over the highly contested Soweto derby, providing football fans with the opportunity to select a starting line-up of their choice.
Each year, fans are introduced to innovations, which allow them to experience the game of football differently. For the 2021 edition, fans have been challenged to ‘change the game’ by experiencing ‘your game, your way’.
“As with each Carling Black Label Cup, we will be putting the power in the very capable hands of Champion fans. Supporters of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates will select their starting line-up as well as new and exciting game-changers, which will certainly amplify their match day experience. What will set this year’s cup apart from previous years is that fans will have access to all the game-changers, giving them even more power and control of the game,” said Rust.
“In addition to selecting the starting line-ups, fans can select the formation they would like the team to play in, their preferred captain, penalty takers, substitutes as well as the man of the match. To further elevate the fan experience, Champion fans will now have access to player performance statistics, rich data and insights on the two teams made available on the website.
“Throughout our journey in football, the Carling Cup has been played to a sold-out FNB Stadium and as the 12th player on the pitch, the Champion voices in stadiums are at the heart of the game.
“Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 restrictions, we will not be able to allow any fans into the stadium this year, apart from one lucky fan from each team, the selected champion coach who will be calling the shots from the dugout of the respective clubs,” said Rust.
As with previous years, two lucky fans representing Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates respectively will have an opportunity to become the champion coach. People can enter by purchasing a selected Carling Black Label beer and dialling *120*660*unique code#, through the Carling Black label website or by calling any of the participating seven African language stations. The contestant will have to answer questions relating to their respective teams before heading to a “selection weekend” where club representatives will participate in the selection of the ultimate Champion Coach. The winning fans will coach their respective teams during training, attend the pre-match briefing and lead their team from the dugout on match day.
The Carling Black Label Cup boasts eight sold-out clashes between the Soweto giants with 11 years of giving Champion fans control over the game. Orlando Pirates has clinched the Cup five times in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2019, while Kaizer Chiefs were victorious in 2013, 2016 and 2017.