Huge Demand Of World Cup Tickets Pushes Price From Rs 17k To Rs 1.5 Lakh For #IndvsEng Match

A ¡°platinum ticket¡± for India¡¯s World Cup clash with England at Edgbaston on June 30, priced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its official ticketing partner Ticket Master at ?235 (Rs 20,668) for sale to customers, is now selling at ?995 (Rs 87,510).

The differential gets steeper for the final, scheduled to be played at Lord¡¯s on July 14. Tickets in the silver and bronze category, which were priced at ?195 (Rs 17,150) and ?95 (Rs 8,355) respectively are now selling at ?1700 (Rs 1.5 lakh) and ?1500 (Rs 1.31 lakh) in that order.

These tickets are not being sold in ¡®black¡¯. They are available with ICC¡¯s ¡®official travel agent¡¯, Fanatic Sports. Based in Kolkata, the firm¡¯s website describes itself as ¡°a dedicated sports, ticketing & hospitality company for global sporting events¡±.

TOI approached Fanatic Sports over email posing as a fan and asked if tickets were available for any India matches at the World Cup. The company head for global events and alliances, Saket Dhandhania, responded with a detailed email of tickets available and the prices being offered.

The terms and conditions mentioned below the price list in Dhandhania¡¯s email says, ¡°All orders are subject to approval by ICC¡±.

TOI asked ICC officials if the increased prices had the sanction of cricket's governing body. The sources initially expressed shock and surprise and said tickets could not be sold at prices higher than those initially approved by ICC. The officials then asked this newspaper to officially send ICC an email, informing it about this sale of tickets. A response to the email was awaited at the time of going to press.

Sources also told TOI that as a ¡®travel agent¡¯, the firm can provide tickets to fans only if it is packaged with accommodation and travel. The mail received from Dhandhania, however, mentions no details for accommodation, or even the mode of intercity travel in England, except for the match between India and Pakistan, which is mentioned in a separate price list.

For the eagerly awaited India-Pakistan clash on June 16, Fanatic Sports is offering a ¡°Platinum + Gala Dinner¡± ticket category that will include a stay at Manchester¡¯s City Suites at ?1825 (Rs 1.66 lakh) per person. In the same category, but with a stay scheduled at a ¡®similar hotel¡¯ to City Suites, there is a ticket priced at ?1695 (Rs 1.5 lakh) on offer.

An online search by TOI revealed that City Suites at Chapel Street in Manchester is a mid-range lodging service usually available through online booking for close to ?200 (about Rs 17,000).

Reuters

The subject line of the email from Fanatic Sports says the pricing is for ¡°match tickets + intercity¡± but their terms and conditions offer no details on travel modes. ¡°All packages must include Match Tickets and either Hotel Accommodation or Intercity Travel¡± says the company¡¯s T&C, which, ICC sources say, is ¡°understandable because essentially they are travel partners¡±.

TOI sourced ICC¡¯s price list for India matches and the highest priced tickets, by their own record, is in the Platinum category for the final at ?395 (Rs 34,740) -- assuming India qualify for the final.

The ICC has already come in for flak due to a huge ticketing mess in England. On Saturday, the governing body had to apologise to fans at the match between Pakistan and West Indies because tickets booked online had not reached them in time. TOI has sought responses from ICC as well as its ticketing partner ¡®Ticket Master¡¯, on the issue. Responses were awaited at the time of going to press.

According to details available from the Registrar of Companies, Fanatic Sports Private Limited is an unlisted private company incorporated in December 2013. The company's registered office is at 6/2, Moira Street, Halwasiya Mansion, Kolkata, West Bengal.