Money matters stump fans
Rajkot, Nov 13, 2016, DHNS
The Union Government’s move to withdraw currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 has affected different people in different ways. Strange as it may sound, the ongoing first Test between India and England here hasn’t been left unaffected by the demonetisation process.
Virat Kolhi spoke passionately about India’s efforts in reviving Test cricket in the country on the eve of the match, and one of the steps in that direction, he felt, was to take the longer version of the game to smaller centres. Having seen poor attendances for the first four days of Rajkot’s debut Test, the Indian skipper may have been left wondering if he had been too optimistic.
Despite two local boys – Cheteshwar Pujara who struck a century on the third day and Ravindra Jadeja – featuring in the playing XI, empty rows of seats have been a common feature of the opening Test of the five-match series.
The banning of higher denomination bank notes, the organisers here feel, has been one of the primary reasons behind poor crowd response to the historic first Test here.
"The demonetisation has had a big impact on the attendance," SCA secretary Niranjan Shah said. "The sale of tickets over counters has been affected as people have been trying to hold on to their 100 rupee notes. The announcement came one day before the start of the match and there was nothing much we could do to avoid it."
That the city doesn’t have many credit card holders hasn’t helped SCA’s cause.
“Tickets are available online, but there are not many credit card holders in our city. Even in ODIs and T20s the main ticket sale was through cash counters,” pointed out Shah.
“We have reduced the price for Sunday and I am expecting a turnout of 12,000 to 13000,” the former BCCI secretary added.
The SCA expected to make Rs 1.2 crore from the projected sale of tickets through the five days but so far it has made only Rs 40 lakh. From the two ODIs and one T20I staged here, the SCA had made close to Rs 9 crore.
The visiting England fans too have been inconvenienced by the government move but the team has largely remained unaffected. “We have been fine, it’s all paid for room service,” said an England’s team spokesperson. “Maybe when we go to centres like Mumbai and Mohali then we will have to look out for the Indian currency since there will be an opportunity to venture out.”
Virat Kolhi spoke passionately about India’s efforts in reviving Test cricket in the country on the eve of the match, and one of the steps in that direction, he felt, was to take the longer version of the game to smaller centres. Having seen poor attendances for the first four days of Rajkot’s debut Test, the Indian skipper may have been left wondering if he had been too optimistic.
Despite two local boys – Cheteshwar Pujara who struck a century on the third day and Ravindra Jadeja – featuring in the playing XI, empty rows of seats have been a common feature of the opening Test of the five-match series.
The banning of higher denomination bank notes, the organisers here feel, has been one of the primary reasons behind poor crowd response to the historic first Test here.
"The demonetisation has had a big impact on the attendance," SCA secretary Niranjan Shah said. "The sale of tickets over counters has been affected as people have been trying to hold on to their 100 rupee notes. The announcement came one day before the start of the match and there was nothing much we could do to avoid it."
That the city doesn’t have many credit card holders hasn’t helped SCA’s cause.
“Tickets are available online, but there are not many credit card holders in our city. Even in ODIs and T20s the main ticket sale was through cash counters,” pointed out Shah.
“We have reduced the price for Sunday and I am expecting a turnout of 12,000 to 13000,” the former BCCI secretary added.
The SCA expected to make Rs 1.2 crore from the projected sale of tickets through the five days but so far it has made only Rs 40 lakh. From the two ODIs and one T20I staged here, the SCA had made close to Rs 9 crore.
The visiting England fans too have been inconvenienced by the government move but the team has largely remained unaffected. “We have been fine, it’s all paid for room service,” said an England’s team spokesperson. “Maybe when we go to centres like Mumbai and Mohali then we will have to look out for the Indian currency since there will be an opportunity to venture out.”
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