Is the International Cricket Council (ICC) looking to spread the game by taking the T20 World Cup 2024 to the USA? Or is it their desire to earn as much as possible? The governing body made a push to make cricket more appealing to the world and to find a way to do it other than trying to make it work in the world’s biggest economy.
Greed getting in the way of progress?
With events like the Champions Trophy, World Test Championship, and World Cups being their only source of income, the ICC may have become greedy. This has been visible with an increasing number of major ICC events being played more and more since the early 2010s.
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The ticket prices for the big-earning IND vs PAK match also suggest the same. According to the ICC’s website, the costliest ticket for the high-octane clash is Rs 8.3 lakh ($10000), with the cheapest one costing Rs 1.66 lakh ($2000). The aim while taking cricket to the USA was to spread it, not overcharge, and potentially kill any interest in the sport even before it started.
With the T20 World Cup 2024 being the first major cricket tournament in the USA, the high crowd-drawing clash (IND vs PAK) should ideally be used to grow the game. Instead of charging heaps, ticket prices should be slashed. Instead, we might play the India vs Pakistan match at the T20 World Cup and rival other American leagues like the NFL or NBA.
T20 World Cup
IND vs PAK T20 World Cup match challenging Super Bowl & NBA Playoffs
The Super Bowl 2024 that was played between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers had its costliest ticket priced at $22907, according to StubHub. However, football is the biggest sport in the country, and the National Football League (NFL) has been in existence since 1920. The Super Bowl itself is older than the ICC event, having been played in the USA since 1967.
Basketball has got them beat easily, with $64,282 being the costliest ticket for NBA Playoffs Game 7, according to SeatGeek. As the last game of the season, it’s no shock that the pricing is so high. Once again, we have to remind ourselves that the National Basketball Association (NBA) has been in existence since 1946 and has a huge following.
So despite cricket’s infancy when compared to football or basketball in the USA, why are they aiming so high? The picture that is being painted is plain and simple. The IND vs PAK match in the T20 World Cup 2024 isn’t exactly for growing the game as much as it is to ensure that the ICC has enough dough in their pocket.
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