News
WHERE IS EVERYBODY?
Comments 0
Grounds expected to fill as tournament progresses
Locals hit for six as World Cup crowds fail to materialise
HOTELIERS, locals and the general cricket fraternity have one burning question on their lips following the start of the Cricket World Cup: where is everybody?
The expected influx of fans and tourist has not occurred and confused West Indians want answers.
St Lucia, St Kits and Trinidad and Tobago have all experienced a similar situation which is having a knock-on effect on attendance figures at subsequent matches on the respective islands.
With the opening match between West Indies and Pakistan attracting almost 17,000 people, it had been hoped that a positive tone had been set.
However, the game featuring tournament favourites Australia against Scotland was witnessed by only a handful of people, a spectacle certainly not befitting the new Warner Park stadium.
The low attendance at the Kenya verses Canada match at the beautiful Beausejour ground had locals scratching their heads. Without school kids being given the day off it was universally agreed there would have been no atmosphere at the game.
EFFORT
While it is understood that non-cricketing nations would not be the bulk of travelling fans, it is believed a more concerted effort could have been made to boost attendances in the first week of the tournament so games looked better for television viewers around the world.
Prior to the start of the tournament, St Lucian’s had expected the vast majority of supporters to come from England but the consensus is that having spent a small fortune on the recent Ashes tour of Australia not as many fans would be able to afford the journey to the Caribbean.
The situation has left many feeling frantic about what the immediate future holds. With St Lucia scheduled to host a semi-final match on April 25, many will have considered themselves to have missed out if there is no change before then.
President of the T&T Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association Barry Bidasee confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago had not seen the flood of visitors expected for the Cricket World Cup.
“We predicted 100 per cent occupancy from the cricket business and we expected more fan arrivals. Our membership said their occupancy was high but it was a combination of cricket and the normal business travelers and conference groups," He said.
SUPER 8S
Managing director and CEO of Cricket World Cup Chris Dehring told The Voice of Sport: “Remember when you have a 47-day tournament not all fans can stay for the duration, so they will pick and choose when they come.
“I don’t think anyone, including ourselves, would have expected the first round games to have good attendances, especially the games involving non-traditional cricket playing nations. That is how it has been with every World Cup.
“As we move to the Super 8s stage, attendances will get better because there will be a larger influx of fans as well as the traditional rivalries between the stronger cricketing nations.
“As a tournament, we have sold four times more tour and travel packages in the official programme than the last World Cup. Ticket sales from a revenue perspective are two-and-a-half times more than the revenues for the last World Cup. So things will get better and no one should worry.”
Published: 19 March 2007
Issue: 1261
