Test match attendances in India

[Craig]

I've been watching the India - Australia Test series, and I noticed in Mohali, barely anybody was there, but in Bangalore, the crowds have been a vast improvement from what they were in Mohali. Is Test cricket not that popular there, or is it just a combination of that and being really over priced (I think Mark Waugh said that they charge a week's pay just to see one day of Test cricket )?

[robelinda]

Its the particular venues, Mohali is quite a way for people to get to in that area. The Indian here will tell you in better detail, but the popular grounds like Banglalore, Mumbai, Kolkata all love test cricket and will always attend. Australia should always get a Kolkata test but I guess there's just too many venues and not enough matches to go around.

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by Craig

Is Test cricket not that popular there, or is it just a combination of that and being really over priced (I think Mark Waugh said that they charge a week's pay just to see one day of Test cricket )?

Test Cricket is very popular and the tickets are not overpriced.

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by robelinda

Its the particular venues, Mohali is quite a way for people to get to in that area. The Indian here will tell you in better detail, but the popular grounds like Banglalore, Mumbai, Kolkata all love test cricket and will always attend. Australia should always get a Kolkata test but I guess there's just too many venues and not enough matches to go around.

True, although it never stops people from filling ODIs in Mohali.

[R_D]

I think test matches still get good crowds in Mumbai, Kolkatta, Chennai and Banglore and less so Delhi. BCCI should consider hosting test matches in these cities only.
Play the ODI and T20's all around the country.

[G.I.Joe]

Originally Posted by R_D

I think test matches still get good crowds in Mumbai, Kolkatta, Chennai and Banglore and less so Delhi. BCCI should consider hosting test matches in these cities only.
Play the ODI and T20's all around the country.

Nah, I think adopt a carrot and stick policy. The centres that provide excellent crowds for Tests should be rewarded with more ODI's, while those with low attendances should be allotted ODI's less frequently. ODI's make a host more money than Tests, I think, and it wouldn't be fair to reward a centre for not doing enough for Test cricket.

[silentstriker]

LOL Right. Like they're really going to piss off the associations that voted them into power by doing something like that. And give up the opportunity to punish associations that go against them (e.g, Kolkata)....

[G.I.Joe]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

LOL Right. Like they're really going to piss off the associations that voted them into power by doing something like that.

You're a closet ODI fanboy!!

Nah, you're right. I guess I got carried away and turned on by how iron fisted the BCCI were with the IPL franchises today.

[R_D]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

LOL Right. Like they're really going to piss off the associations that voted them into power by doing something like that. And give up the opportunity to punish associations that go against them (e.g, Kolkata)....

hehe
Yeah they will never do it but it rather wishful thinking.

Another reason for low crowds in places like Mohali and Nagpur etc would be that grounds are 20-30 km away from city. There's probably not adequate public transport. Not to mention that in most of the grounds in India, you have to buy 5 day passes. There's no 1 day pass. In Mohali you have to buy tickets from some bank... apparently you can't get them at the stadium.
I can see why people didn't bother turning up for most of the match.

[Dissector]

Yeah this is a big bugaboo of mine. There are five or six cities in India which consistently produce decent test crowds and yet places like Nagpur and Mohali keep getting tests which are played in largely empty stadiums. I think R_D's solution is logical: give the big cities all the test matches and give all the limited overs games to the other places. Everyone will be happier and test cricket will get the crowds it deserves. And while TV is the biggest source of revenue I think it's always more fun watching a game with big crowds in the stadium so it should boost TV audiences and revenues from test cricket as well.

[aussie]

Isn't another reason for low crowds outside the non traditional test venues in India, due to the fact that you cant carry bottles of water & other beverages into the ground with you?

[R_D]

Originally Posted by Dissector

Yeah this is a big bugaboo of mine. There are five or six cities in India which consistently produce decent test crowds and yet places like Nagpur and Mohali keep getting tests which are played in largely empty stadiums. I think R_D's solution is logical: give the big cities all the test matches and give all the limited overs games to the other places. Everyone will be happier and test cricket will get the crowds it deserves. And while TV is the biggest source of revenue I think it's always more fun watching a game with big crowds in the stadium so it should boost TV audiences and revenues from test cricket as well.

These big cities still love ODI cricket so they should get some Limited overs cricket as well.
But test matches should be reserved for these traditional cricket following cities only.

[Arjun]

Hang on, people can't attend five days of Test cricket all the time! Adults have work, children have school, and we have better things to do than declare unofficial holidays for Test cricket! We have to earn a living, or learn what we need to learn.

Some of the grounds are quite large, which may make crowds look small. Test match ticket prices are quite nominal, in comparison to ODI or IPL ticket rates, so buying them isn't an issue. Playing truant from school or work is.

Moreover, television access is another factor. While you get a live feel at the venue, it's reduced spectacularly, and comes out of spectator response rather than the game, when it's at a large, packed venue. Television takes you straight to the tip of the bat or blade of grass, and gives you so many options that you don't quite get at the venue. Some grounds had giant TV screens, but some of them, like the Hede's Megavision, are not in working condition- maybe it's been brought back in action.

The one funny thing is that in an advertisement for a television, Sachin Tendulkar (no less), said that people do anything to watch a cricket match- showing fans perched on trees, towers and terraces. He said that he can watch a match- in comfort- watching it on television. Not so encouraging for watching a game live, is it?

[Dissector]

Originally Posted by R_D

These big cities still love ODI cricket so they should get some Limited overs cricket as well.
But test matches should be reserved for these traditional cricket following cities only.

Well let's not forget the big cities get IPL franchises as well which most of the smaller places don't. So they get plenty of high-quality limited overs cricket with international stars. So I have no problem with restricting the limited overs internationals to the smaller cities for the most part. Plus I like the idea of restricting big cities to mostly tests because it would give an incentive to spectators to attend test matches if they want to see Team India. But I wouldn't make it a hard-and-fast rule and certainly you could have limited overs games in big cities during major tournaments.

[GotSpin]

Originally Posted by Arjun

Hang on, people can't attend five days of Test cricket all the time! Adults have work, children have school, and we have better things to do than declare unofficial holidays for Test cricket! We have to earn a living, or learn what we need to learn.

Some of the grounds are quite large, which may make crowds look small. Test match ticket prices are quite nominal, in comparison to ODI or IPL ticket rates, so buying them isn't an issue. Playing truant from school or work is.

Moreover, television access is another factor. While you get a live feel at the venue, it's reduced spectacularly, and comes out of spectator response rather than the game, when it's at a large, packed venue. Television takes you straight to the tip of the bat or blade of grass, and gives you so many options that you don't quite get at the venue. Some grounds had giant TV screens, but some of them, like the Hede's Megavision, are not in working condition- maybe it's been brought back in action.

The one funny thing is that in an advertisement for a television, Sachin Tendulkar (no less), said that people do anything to watch a cricket match- showing fans perched on trees, towers and terraces. He said that he can watch a match- in comfort- watching it on television. Not so encouraging for watching a game live, is it?

Not to mention the Mohali ground looked like a concrete circle of hot death