NEW DELHI: Former English cricketer and commentator David Lloyd expressed his concerns about the future of Test cricket, as ticket prices for the upcoming third Test between England and India at Lord’s next July have skyrocketed.
The cost of tickets has increased, reaching an astonishing £175 (Rs 19,557). Even the most affordable seats available for the first three days come at a steep price of £90 (around Rs 10,000), and unfortunately, these seats offer limited visibility of the event.
“Paying that much for a seat where you can’t see the entire field is ridiculous.What might you miss? The batsman? A catch down at fine leg?”, Lloyd wrote in his Daily Mail article.
“Test cricket is in danger of becoming an event only for the elite. It risks excluding regular fans who can’t afford such high prices. Sure, it’s fun to spot celebrities in the crowd, but cricket needs to cater to everyone, not just the rich,” he said.
Lloyd suggests that Lord’s is a trendsetter for other cricket venues. If the ticket prices at Lord’s range from £120 – £175 (around Rs 13,000 -Rs 19,000), it could lead to similar pricing strategies being adopted by other grounds.
“But who sets these prices? Who decides that £175 is fair? I’d love to know the answer,” he added.
“At Lord’s, stewards collect champagne corks after every over. But, at places like Headingley, try throwing a can of Tetley’s over the boundary and see what happens!”
“I’m speaking for the everyday fan. The kind who enjoys a football match with a pie and Bovril. For us, paying £120-£175 (for one day of cricket is outrageous. It feels like the MCC knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing. They’re risking losing the connection between this great England team and the public.” .
“So, the face value cost of attending a single day of a Lord’s Test is utterly preposterous to me. The MCC seem to know the price of everything and the value of nothing,” Lloyd concluded.