Experienced football administrator Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John (main image), is confident he can use his knowledge to help the Malaysia Stadium Corporation (MSC) generate more income without ruining the footballing experience at the National Stadium.
John, who is the secretary-general of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has been appointed deputy chairman of MSC for a two-year term. He and MSC chairman Datin Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz started work on March 20.
One of John’s responsibilities is to determine how best to utilise the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil to ensure that concerts and events do not clash with football matches.
The Football Association of Malaysia has designated the National Stadium as the home of the national team – Harimau Malaya. However, there have been instances when the national team played on a pitch that was in poor condition following a concert.
This is where John can use his knowledge to advise MSC on bookings.
“The Fifa calendar for international matches is released two years in advance. So, we can determine the possible dates when Malaysia may play and block those dates to ensure the pitch is not affected by concerts or other events,” said John.
“A better solution is to implement the ‘lay-and-play’ method, where grass pitches are grown in a controlled environment and transported to the stadium a week before a match.
“As the pitches are matured, there won’t be any issues of it cutting up during a match.”
He said Singapore is using this method and can hold mega concerts a week before international matches without affecting the quality of the field.
“There are several countries in Asia that do this, and I have worked closely with them. Malaysia needs to invest in the right equipment. We are in the middle of the procurement process and should sort this out soon,” said John.
“There is a huge piece of land near the stadium that can accommodate three football pitches. Once we get that done, we won’t have to worry about the pitch and can focus on bringing more acts to the stadium.”
Concerts are an important revenue stream for MSC.
British band Coldplay said in February 2024 that its Malaysian concert at the National Stadium in November 2023 was the biggest of its career, grossing US$10,904,369 (or nearly RM52 million at that time) from 81,812 tickets sold.
Industry insiders said MSC, which runs the National Stadium, would likely have earned about two per cent of the gate collection, amounting to slightly more than RM1 million, plus probably another RM500,000 in rental fees for the Coldplay concert.
If the National Stadium can host four to six concerts a year, that should earn the corporation RM6-9 million, which it can use to maintain the facilities and ensure the pitch is in good playing condition.
“If we are self-sustainable, we won’t need money from the government for our day-to-day operations,” said John.
“We would only need funds from the government for major renovations, if required.
“That is why I’m excited to be working with Anita, as she is excellent in project management and knows how to get sponsorship. She is also a hard worker.”
John also said his new role will enable him to contribute to the organisation of the 2027 SEA Games in Malaysia, as the Kuala Lumpur Sports City – which includes the football, hockey, and squash stadiums, as well as the Axiata Arena, the likely venue for badminton – will be pivotal to the Games.
