World Cup 2023: Why an empty Narendra Modi Stadium shouldn't come as a surprise

Cricket World Cup got underway on Thursday with a clash between England and New Zealand. The defending champions against last edition’s runners-up. On the face of it, it is a big occassion and warranted a start at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad which boasts of a capacity of 1.32 lakhs. Yet, there were huge portions of the stadium that remained empty and unused. At the start of the contest, at 2 PM, there were nearly 10,000 people in attendance. It increased to around 15,000-17,000 by sunset and later to 47,000 which is reportedly the biggest turnout for a World Cup opener. “I expect the crowd to build up from say, the 40th over (of the first innings) onward when the sun starts getting down. It is difficult to sit under the sun which is why I left my seat to stand in the shade here,” said a fan while pointing at empty stands.

Maybe it wouldn't have been this embarassing if you hadn't started ticket sales at the last minute repulsing fans who wanted to travel from NZ/ENG, hoarding tickets and then giving them away for free as a way to save face at the last minute.

You can build the biggest stadium.… pic.twitter.com/6WO7UCdrTJ

— Manya (@CSKian716) October 5, 2023

An hour before toss, vendors selling flags, face-painters, jersey sellers and sandwich hawkers had little to do. This despite tens of thousands of tickets being distributed for free by BJP’s ward-level network while offering complimentary coupons for tea and lunch. “Around 30,000 to 40,000 women from Ahmedabad will be watching the game in the stadium tomorrow. Our volunteers have been asked to send the names and tickets were handed to them today. Tickets upar se aaya hai (We got these tickets from the top). Kya hai na, 33 per cent women reservation Bill bhi pass hua hai (See, even the 33 per cent women’s reservation Bill has been passed). These women will be reaching the stadium on their own and will be given tea and food coupons,” Lalit Wadhawan, BJP vice-president of Bodakdev area, was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. There are multiple potential reasons for World Cup opening match seeing a poor turnout. At the basic level, it was a weekday which ruled out a large portion of the population were unable to attend. Secondly, the format in itself has seen a drop in takers. If T20 cricket offers dramatics and bang-bang cricket in four hours and Test cricket offers strategies and smarts over the course of five days, ODI cricket is stuck in between. Eight hours of cricket with attacking cricket coming in patches is something that has kept neutral watchers away.

How does the most populated country in the world have an empty stadium for the opening game of the World Cup for the country’s most loved sport? Ridiculous. #CWC2023 #india pic.twitter.com/vg35JCA4JQ

— Adil Ray OBE (@adilray) October 5, 2023

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Beyond the existential question for 50 over cricket, there are logistical reasons as well. The World Cup schedule was announced on 27 June, just 100 days before the start of the tournament. In comparison, fixtures for the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales and the 2015 World Cup in Australia were announced more than 12 months in advance. It left fans, especially from outside India, with little time to plan their World Cup trips. The late schedule announcement was compounded by mess of ticket sales. As per ICC, the tickets went on sale on 25 August - six weeks before the first match - on official ticketing partner (BookMyShow), the same day the schedule was revised. The tickets for India matches went on sale as per venues for the matches while a different process was followed for non-India matches. “To manage the expected demand for tickets and to give as many fans as possible the best chance of seeing the world’s best players, tickets will go on sale in phases,” ICC had said in a press release. As tickets went on sale, fans complained of a poor experience while BookMyShow argued it was working to ensure better handling of an event of this magnitude.

#CWC2023 pic.twitter.com/7V2m8G1J30

— BookMyShow (@bookmyshow) September 1, 2023

Fans had to register to express interest in a specific match and then book tickets, while waiting for hours, before buying them at all. For some that moment never arrived with tickets being released sparingly. Reportedly, only 500 tickets of a 33,000 seater stadium were released in the first stage. The situation would be different when India take the field against Australia in Chennai on Sunday and most definitely against arch-nemesis Pakistan in Ahmedabad on 14 October. Even if the tickets go for Rs 19 lakhs on third party ticketing websites. To the extent that star India batter Virat Kohli jokingly wrote on Instagram, “As we approach the World Cup, I would humbly like to let all my friends know to not request me for tickets at all through the tournament. Enjoy from your homes please.”