1 week Ago By Rahul Sadhu
Eden Gardens is usually vibrant and packed to the rafters when the Knight Riders are in town, but the midweek match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the iconic cricket stadium in Kolkata was established in 1864, presented a starkly different picture with large sections of the stadium remaining empty. This led to serious concerns about the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) connection with their fanbase. "Yes, the stands were noticeably empty.
The most glaring issue is the absurd ticket pricing. A fourfold increase in ticket prices is unjustifiable, no matter the circumstances," sources close to the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) indicated in a conversation with Sports Now. "Maybe it was also the midweek vibes and Kolkata's humid weather," the source added.
However, Capt Chinmay Nayak, Chief Executive Officer of the Cricket Association of Bengal, said, " IPL is a franchisee league, and it is KKR who manages tickets. As CAB, we do not have any role to play here." However, fans on social media have been vocal about their displeasure, pointing towards the soaring ticket prices and KKR's patchy form as likely culprits for the low turnout.
Many also pointed out that the RCB game was packed because it was a weekend match, and the hype around KKR vs RCB is always high, regardless of individual players. Adding to the problem is the perceived lack of significant star power within the current KKR squad. "Adding to the woes is the lack of star power.
While a well-structured team can perform without household names, fans need something or someone to rally behind," the report notes. Several fan viewpoints shared on social media further illuminate the situation: One fan protested: "Eden Gardens (KKR) increased the price of Tickets, and the result is Half-Empty Eden Gardens. This is how you respond.
Don't go to the stadium because of these exorbitant prices; let them suffer, and they'll drop the price eventually. All other Team fans should learn." Another fan highlighted the steep price hike compared to other matches: "The stand in which I watched the India v England T20 game in January cost 1300.
In IPL, it was 3500. They have reduced the price for the LSG game." A more pragmatic fan acknowledged multiple contributing factors: "Team form is also a factor after that defeat at Mumbai.
There probably wasn't much hope that they'd do this well against SRH. But yeah, some of these are exorbitant rates." Drawing inspiration from international fan movements, Siddharth Bhunia, an avid KKR supporter, made a "clarion call of protests" and told Sports Now, "Look at how Manchester City are protesting.
We should take a cue from them. Hope it rings a bell in management's ear." KKR's next game is against LSG, and many tickets for KKR vs LSG are still available.
Soham, a member of the KKR fan group, also reminded, "I don't remember the lower block tickets ever costing 1500 and the upper ones 1200. They used to be 400 for the upper ones and 600 for the lower ones." The empty stands at Eden Gardens are a stark reminder of the potential consequences of seemingly overlooking fan affordability and team connection.
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