Sri Lanka Cricket drastically reduced ticket prices for the Asia Cup by as much as 95 percent on Sunday. This move came in response to a 40-fold increase in ticket costs, resulting in mostly empty stadiums during the tournament. Traditionally, one-day international cricket tickets in Sri Lanka had been priced around 250 rupees ($0.78). However, for the Asia Cup, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board but primarily held in Sri Lanka, prices were raised to 10,000 rupees.
Unfortunately, this significant price hike deterred fans from attending matches. For instance, only about 7,000 local supporters turned up for Sri Lanka’s Super Four match against Bangladesh in the 35,000-seat R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, leading to many empty seats.
In an effort to entice fans back to the stadiums, Sri Lanka Cricket announced a substantial price reduction of up to 95 percent for all remaining Super Four games, including the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash. Tickets were now available for as little as 500 rupees.
These exorbitant price increases had understandably angered fans. Sri Lanka faced economic hardships, including shortages of essential goods, due to a foreign exchange crisis the previous year, leading to widespread protests and the removal of its president.
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The 50-over Asia Cup serves as a precursor to the upcoming ODI World Cup, and many matches were relocated to Sri Lanka after India declined to tour Pakistan due to political tensions.
A local Sri Lankan official, speaking anonymously, pointed out, “Pakistan have kept the ticket pricing too high, and that has kept fans away from the stadiums. Ticket costs… are way beyond the reach of a common man.”
Even for the India-Pakistan game, where grandstand tickets were priced at a staggering 64,000 rupees ($200), there were still very few spectators. This pricing was met with dissatisfaction among fans who love cricket but found the costs prohibitive.
Fans who had traveled from both India and Pakistan for the highly anticipated clash expressed their concerns about the steep prices but emphasized their unwavering love for the sport. Despite the blockbuster nature of the match, vendors noted a lower turnout and reduced excitement due to the high prices.