Málaga CF has joined the Diputación's 'El deporte es vida en la provincia' initiative for the first time, a programme that provides free match tickets to bring professional sport closer to thousands of local residents. The club will contribute 630 tickets for Liga EA Sports matches this 2023-24 season, primarily aimed at students from municipal football schools across the province.
The community outreach comes as the team handles a tough start to the league campaign, sitting 20th with just three points from seven games. Their next fixture is at home to Espanyol on 9 October, a key match in the search for a first win to improve their position in the standings.
Scale of the ticket programme
The agreement, which also includes Unicaja Baloncesto, will benefit 2,610 residents from 70 municipalities with free access to top-tier sporting events. Since its inception, over 40,000 fans from the province have enjoyed the scheme. For Málaga CF matches, 42 tickets per game have been allocated, totalling 630 for the football season. In parallel, Unicaja will have 60 tickets per Liga ACB and Basketball Champions League match.
Recognition for municipal schools
The main beneficiaries are pupils from the Municipal Football and Basketball Schools. Students from the football schools in Campillos, Guaro, Alhaurín el Grande, Istán, Mollina, Villanueva de Tapia, Almogía, El Borge and Gaucín already attended the matches on 24 August against Deportivo, 6 September versus Levante and 19 September against Villarreal. At those games, they were recognised for their sportsmanship. The Campillos school was awarded the Trofeo Educar en Valores.
Meanwhile, students from the basketball schools in Alameda, Cártama, Rincón de la Victoria and Manilva will attend the match on 15 November and receive a special mention. The ticket draw was held on a Wednesday and presided over by Juan Rosas, vice president and deputy for Sports of the Diputación; José Carlos Gaspar, Institutional Relations Director of Unicaja Baloncesto; and Enrique Pérez, General Director of Málaga CF. The event was attended by mayors, councillors and technical staff from the 70 involved municipalities.
Juan Rosas outlined the programme's goal: "persigue acercar a los malagueños los valores propios del deporte y los hábitos de vida saludable a través del espectáculo del deporte profesional".
This Diputación initiative represents a valuable bridge between the club and its youngest supporters during a demanding sporting year. Fans can check the team's full schedule, including the upcoming clash with Espanyol, on the fixtures page. The squad, looking to turn things around after a run of five matches without a win, has the backing of a new generation of fans who will experience the excitement of La Rosaleda firsthand thanks to these 630 free tickets.
Background and full detail: Sport.es
