XtraTime Web Desk: Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will not compromise on the distribution of complimentary tickets for the November 4 India-West Indies T20 International at Eden Gardens, Sourav Ganguly, the president of CAB said.
According to the BCCI constitution the state association can only avail 10 per cent of the complimentary tickets, while 90 per cent of the total capacity of the stadium should be up for public sale. As reported by Indian Express, the stand-off between the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association and the BCCI on this issue forced the second ODI against West Indies to be moved out of Indore, with Vizag in pole position to host the October 24 fixture. Ganguly sided with the MPCA.
“We will have to give the complimentary tickets which we have been giving. We cannot compromise on that. And I completely understand the problems faced by Indore/MPCA and I’m totally with them, because the practical problems are never understood. Their claim is completely legitimate,” Ganguly told.
Eden Gardens has a capacity of a little over 66,000, out of which around 30,000 tickets are distributed as complimentary passes. The former India captain explained the whole distribution system.
“I cannot go and ask the government agencies, bureaucrats – people who make the match happen – to collect tickets and pay,” Ganguly said. Asked if the CAB’s stand will jeopardise the Eden game, he replied: “I don’t know what they (BCCI) will do. If they want (to take the game away), they can. But we are not going to compromise.”
Eden Gardens has a larger capacity compared to other Indian venues. About 10,000 complimentary tickets, however, go to government agencies alone. “We give around 10,000 complimentary tickets to the sports department, government agencies – Kolkata Police, Kolkata Corporation, Fire Brigade etc. Else, the sports department will not stamp the tickets. These people actually make the game happen,” Ganguly said, adding: “Police here are the most supportive. They charge the least. To provide security for every game, they charge peanuts. In return, they want tickets. So, this is practically not possible (conforming to the 90 per cent-10 per cent ratio). It will not be possible to sit down at the ticket counter and ask the government agencies and all those people who facilitate these matches to pay for tickets.”
CAB has 121 affiliated units including 37 first division clubs, 58 second division clubs, the Office Sports Federation and the Universities. They also expect their respective quota of complimentary tickets. About 2,000 complimentary tickets go to the National Cricket Club (NCC) – a co-lessee of the ground.
“Not only the affiliated units, are the honorary and life members too entitled to complimentary tickets. And we have to give about 2,000 tickets to the NCC. So it’s not possible. They (BCCI/CoA) don’t understand the practicality (of the matter),” the former India captain said.