Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is eying a whopping Rs 150 Crore from the sale of hospitality tickets alone in World Cup 2023. As Wankhede Stadium will host five World Cup games including the semifinal and India vs Sri Lanka match, MCA has already partnered with some big companies.
As per a TOI report, MCA has received Rs 50 Crore for three hospitality boxes from DreamSetGo and Cutting Edge. The 10-year deal includes 529 hospitality seats at Level 2 of Vithal Divecha Pavilion. But they are not the only companies. MCA has also received offers from Aditya Birla and Essar Group. Birla Group wants to pay Rs 12 Cr for two boxes while Essar wants to pay Rs 8.5 Cr for one box.
“The MCA has already finalised the sale of hospitality boxes at the Wankhede to Reliance Ambani (Rs 30 cr for three boxes) JSW (Jindal) (Rs 15.10 cr for one box), Bajaj (Rs 15 cr for one box) and APCO Infra (Rs 15.10 cr for one box),” TOI quoted a source as saying.
As per the report, Mumbai Cricket Association also earned around Rs 150 Cr from the sale of hospitality tickets in the 2011 World Cup. In the mega event, India played the final against Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium to lift the trophy.
MCA members not happy
However, MCA members are not happy with the sale of hospitality boxes. Even though it is a great revenue generator for Mumbai Cricket, some members are concerned that, if hospitality boxes are sold, MCA members won’t get tickets.
“Where will the MCA members (entitled to complimentary, subsidized tickets) sit then? No private firm can indulge in branding inside the stadium during the World Cup and the IPL as we have to give a ‘clean’ stadium to the ICC and MI before those events,” TOI quoted an MCA member.
Meanwhile, fans can register for World Cup 2023 tickets from tomorrow (Aug 15). Sale of tickets will begin on August 25 just 40 days before the start of World Cup.
Important ticket information:
- August 25: Non-India warm-up matches and all non-India event matches
- August 30: India matches at Guwahati and Trivandrum
- August 31: India matches at Chennai, Delhi and Pune
- September 1: India matches at Dharamsala, Lucknow and Mumbai
- September 2: India matches at Bengaluru and Kolkata
- September 3: India matches at Ahmedabad
- September 15: Semi-Finals and Final
World Cup 2023 Matches at Wankhede Stadium
Match No | Date | Day | Team 1 | Team 2 | Venue | City | Time |
22 | October 21 | Saturday | England | South Africa | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | 2:00 PM |
25 | October 24 | Tuesday | South Africa | Bangladesh | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | 2:00 PM |
35 | November 2 | Thursday | India | Sri Lanka | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | 2:00 PM |
41 | November 7 | Tuesday | Australia | Afghanistan | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | 2:00 PM |
November 15 | Wednesday | Semi Final 1: 1st vs 4th | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | 2:00 PM |