25th June, 2010
P.M.Sports can report that it is not only Nigerians that are nursing the wounds of the Super Eagles’ early ouster from the ongoing 2010 World Cup in South Africa, owners of shoprite and shops inside the malls at Richard Bay in Durban, South Africa, are also disappointed at the crash.
P.M.Sports’ visit to the mall since Nigeria failed to make it to the second round of the World Cup, after they were held to a 2-2 draw by South Africa on Tuesday, revealed that sales have dropped in those shops.
Some of the owners of the shops said that business boomed for them during the period the Eagles, Nigerian officials and fans stayed at Richard Bay. One of the shop owners told P.M.Sports that “it’s unfortunate that Nigeria went out so early in the World Cup. This has had an adverse effect on our business here. Let me tell you, everyday your players, officials and many fans used to come here to buy various things ranging from shoes, clothes and other items, but since the Eagles were out of the competition, sales have dropped. What we first noticed was that the traffic of people to the mall drastically reduced and our sales went down.â€
P.M.Sports observed that the most affected shop is Bata, where the owner, having exhausted his stock ordered for more with the hope that Nigeria, who were the only team camped at Richard Bay are still in the race in the World Cup.
“We’ll miss the Eagles, and what else can I wish the team? That God will protect them to have a good future in their careers,†one of the shop owners said.
—Tunde  Oyedele, Durban, South Africa