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It is too late for a firesale

By Scott last year, at the start of April Leave a comment on this post

Adam Gilchrist has called for cut priced tickets to help fill the stadiums and create some atmosphere in the remaining fixtures.

“You come to the Caribbean to experience that unique atmosphere that is Caribbean cricket,” Gilchrist told AFP. “There certainly is an element of the sterile feel about it. I don’t know whether that’s because administration hasn’t let it flow or whether people just aren’t turning up. It’s a little bit frustrating.”

Restrictions on what items can be taken into the stadiums, ticket prices and the poor form of West Indies – not to mention India and Pakistan’s exits – have not helped the situation. “Whatever the [pricing] policy is at the moment, it doesn’t seem to be working,” Gilchrist said.

“So maybe we can look at dropping the price and have a sale. I know retailers with over-stocked merchandise certainly have a sale every year … maybe that’s something we can look at.”

A nice idea but I fear it is too late now for that sort of thing. The West Indies cricket public are knowledgeable and they know a red-herring when they see one. In many ways, the 2007 World Cup has already flopped.

There has been some good to come out of this tournament; the rise of Bangladesh, the splendid surprise of Ireland, and the excellence of Sri Lanka and Australia. But as  Jack Warner put it, it has not been a World Cup of the people.  And that has doomed it from the start. And the next tournament is in India and Pakistan. What chance that is going to be any better?

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7 Responses to “It is too late for a firesale”

  • Wraye wrote:
    April 6th, 2007 at 10.18 am

    One can only seriously hope that the organisers learn from their mistakes, though how many of us put much faith in that?

    I was just in the UK and really enjoyed watching the games on Sky because being based in Europe I get nothing here, absolute ZERO and that being in an Associate country! I would watc more if I could!

    If the ICC could get the broadcasting rights together to get the game out to all registered countries, that would be a huge help. So what if we have to register online and pay 20 bucks for the privelige? Get the live play out and/or highlights to all ICC registered countries, for goodness sake. Imagine the revenue - and after all, the ICC seem more concerned with the folding green than the game or condition of the players.

    But at the moment, the ICC - to my view are really shooting themselves in their own foot. I sincerely wish it could be otherwise. Europe is a growing market for cricket - look at Ireland - one of the minnows. Many other lands aspire to that level but hampered by limited budgets and zero TV and radio coverage, we are left fighting in a blank arena, led by a passionate few, supported by no-one.

    Hello ICC, we are here and getting the game done without you. We can do it - albeit with great difficulty - without you, but in the future, can you do it without us?

  • Wraye wrote:
    April 6th, 2007 at 10.21 am

    One can only seriously hope that the organisers learn from their mistakes, though how many of us put much faith in that?

    I was recently in the UK and really enjoyed watching the games on Sky because being based in Europe I get nothing here, absolute ZERO and that being in an Associate country! I would watch more if I could!

    If the ICC could get the broadcasting rights together to get the game out to all registered countries, that would be a huge help. So what if we have to register online and pay 20 bucks or so for the privelige? Get the live play out and/or highlights to all ICC registered countries, for goodness sake. Imagine the revenue - and after all, the ICC seem more concerned with the folding green than the game or condition of the players. No real concern for the viewers, though, is there?

    At the moment, the ICC - to my view are really shooting themselves in their own foot. I sincerely wish it could be otherwise. Europe is a growing market for cricket - look at Ireland - one of the minnows. Many other lands aspire to that level but hampered by limited budgets and zero TV and radio coverage, we are left fighting in a blank arena, led by a passionate few, supported by no-one.

    Hello ICC, we are here and getting the game done without you. We can do it - albeit with great difficulty - but in the future, can you do it without us?

  • glamorous_organ wrote:
    April 6th, 2007 at 9.50 pm

    When you quoted Jack Warner, I thought you were referring to the inimitable Dixon of Dock Green. Star of “The Final Test”, he may have had something pertinent to say about the murder inquiry that seems to have fallen out of the public conversation. So he’s just a wendyball blazer?

  • Wraye wrote:
    April 7th, 2007 at 9.49 am

    er, Will, embarrassment. My entry is here 2 times by accident. Can you edit one out?

  • Alan R wrote:
    April 7th, 2007 at 10.36 am

    It was a good entry, Wraye. Perhaps it had to be said twice. ;-) Especially the part about zero TV and radio coverage. I can get live internet radio broadcasts of university-level women’s basketball from the U.S. here in France, but I can’t listen to this alleged World Cup. It’s a disgrace.

    Tomorrow I have high hopes of being able to watch part of England/Australia in an English pub with a Sky box. But I’m totally at the mercy of bartenders to get any taste of this tournament.

  • Wraye wrote:
    April 8th, 2007 at 3.21 am

    Alan, thanks for your comment, mate. Get yourself an old radio which can pick up LW. If I can get TMS in Bonn, you should be able to pick them up too. Despite the hiss and whistles, it’s better than nothing for us sad basket cases who still follow the WC anyway. I am now so glad that I did not chuck my savings away to attend this event.

  • vijayendra wrote:
    April 11th, 2007 at 6.06 am

    You wondered >

    No prizes for guessing that I’m from India, and just to remind you that the 1996 World Cup was a huge success both in terms of money and general people, local or otherwise {unlike the 2003 World Cup (England) or the 2007 World Cup (West Indies)}.

    What chance that the next World Cup in India is going to be any better? Simple, Come and watch it. We Indians treat our guests like God. So do not miss it for anything.

    You see the argument it does not mean anything while you sit in front of the computer typing away to glory, instead of watching the World Cup live?

    Btw, I do not guarantee that Team India will play well or not. That was not the point in the first place, if at all you come back with it.

    PS: Oh wait; did I mention India as a cash cow? And that more than half of the sponsorship and other bounty come from India?


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