The Safaricom Chapa Dimba tournament has just been successfully concluded with everything having gone according to plan. As spectators one usually sees the finished product which is the footballers playing their hearts out on the field.
However, what many people don’t realize is that a lot goes into making the tournament a success with hundreds of people working in the background to ensure that everything works seamlessly.
In this article, we will highlight some of these key people and the roles that they played to make the tournament a success.
Security
Our men and women in uniform did a stellar job in ensuring that those within and outside the stadium were safe. As a matter of fact, there no security incidences that were reported during any of the tournament legs which goes to show how much effort that they put in. These included officers from Kenya Police as well as private security guards.
Redcross
Redcross has over the years built a reputation for being meticulous in their efforts to save lives. In this tournament, they were in charge of ensuring that the players and fans received medical attention in the event of an injury. They did such a good job such that there were no players who missed a game due to an injury that they picked on the field.
Live Broadcast
For those of us who did not manage to travel to the various legs of the tournament, we had to rely on the livestream from broadcast team. These guys ensured that we did not miss any action on the field. The broadcast team consisted of eight camera operators, three sound technicians, two assistant engineers, a director, members of the graphics crew, two EVs responsible for playback systems, two live streaming technicians, two drivers, commentators, and riggers tasked with setting up equipment platforms.
Entertainers
Entertainers usually bring life to an event and Chapa Dimba was not any different. In the different legs of the event, the organizers ensured that there were several local artists who were at hand to entertain the crowds during breaks. Other than hyping the crowd, this opportunity provided the youthful artists with a platform to showcase their talent and get new fans. One of the entertainers, the Dancing Robot shared that he managed to acquire 27,000 fans courtesy of the tournament.
Commentators
These are the big voices at every football game and serve to spice up the match both for those watching on the field as well as those who are at home. In this year’s tournament, the man behind the microphone was Pharenc Oluoch Nduko, popularly known as Balozi. He did such a good job in commentating that those of us who were watching at home felt as if we were in the stadium.
Groundmen
In every football game, the grounds men play a very crucial role which is largely overlooked. This is to ensure that the football pitch is in pristine condition by ensuring that it is level, well drained and free from any hazards. Essentially, they work tirelessly to create a safe and consistent playing surface. This works to prevent injuries to the players from an uneven playing surface.