Southern United fans can leave their wallets behind when attending home games at Forsyth Barr Stadium this season.
The team will play four of its seven home ASB Premiership games at the stadium, starting on Saturday against Auckland City.
A year after charging $12 a ticket at the venue last year, admission will be free this season after Southern United gained a community funding grant through the Dunedin City Council.
While funding has so far been granted only for the two games scheduled at the stadium this calendar year, Southern United chairman Aaron Joy is ''still working'' on the arrangement for the two matches at the stadium early next year.
''It's hard work. We don't have revenue streams like other teams. We don't have a home - we have no bar takings or anything to build resources up,'' he said.
The club relies solely on funding, including grants from the New Zealand Lotteries Commission, and is on the hunt for a sponsor.
On average, 250 fans watched Southern United play under the roof last year, a number Joy hoped would increase with free entry and strong pre-season results.
With the stadium surface undergoing preparation for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup from November 16 to early January, United had to look elsewhere for its other home games.
The game against Wellington Phoenix on November 30 will be played at Rugby Park in Invercargill and the March 8 game against Wanderers SC will probably be played at Memorial Park, Mosgiel.
The venue for the other game, against Hawkes Bay United on December 14, has not yet been decided but it will be in Dunedin.
While admission will be free for the Wanderers and Hawkes Bay games, a small charge has not been ruled out for the game in Invercargill.
''It costs us to be at Rugby Park - we are still working through that - but because we are playing Wellington Phoenix, we could get a better crowd and may charge,'' Joy said.
-by Robert Van Royen.
