With the Cricket World Cup in India troubled by low attendance, Cricket SA board member Simphiwe Ndzundzu says the mother body will have to be careful not to overprice tickets when they host the global showpiece in 2027.
Matches in India saw a mixed response from fans as stadiums filled up for host nation India’s games, but the turnout for fixtures involving other teams at some venues was decidedly underwhelming. This partly was due to a chaotic ticketing processes.
The announcement of fixtures just three months before the tournament, high prices and limited availability spoiled the fan experience for many. Supporters, players and sponsors raised questions over the rows of empty seats.
To avoid the suffering the same fate, Ndzundzu said CSA needs to start planning now for 2027.
“We have to consider the issue of ticket pricing for the sake of our spectators, though the event will be of the ICC [International Cricket Council], we must not forget that we have an economic situation in South Africa.
“Our situation is not the same as in developed countries, we must not overprice our tickets and cause them to be out of reach for our people,” he said.
Ndzundzu, who is also the Border Cricket president, dwelt on the importance of cricket infrastructure, saying CSA had a stadium upgrade plan ahead of the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
It will be the second time South Africa and Zimbabwe co-host the tournament, after the 2003 edition, while it will be Namibia’s first staging of matches. The 2027 tournament is set to expand to 14 teams from the 10 that featured in 2023’s 13th edition in India.
In May, CSA public relations head Refentse Shinners said the mother body had started a comprehensive audit looking at all potential 2027 host stadiums’ financial statements. Shinners said cost estimates for the 2027 showpiece would be determined once all the South African stadium audits had been completed.
“Most of our stadiums need a touch-up before 2027. We want those fans who will be coming from all around the world to have great experiences and be comfortable as much as they want,” Ndzundzu said.
The staggering attendance [for the 2023 World Cup] demonstrates the enduring appeal of cricket and excitement the ODI format continues to offer.
— Chris Tetley, ICC head of events
“The team that does ground inspection has been going around checking — it is a matter of time before they hand out their reports. The government is engaging with CSA in regard to fixing those stadiums that need to be renovated and given a new look.”
While the many rows of empty seats in some matches in India's cavernous venues did not always look good, there is reason for optimism for the African World Cup.
Reuters reported that a record 1.25-million fans attended matches in India, which concluded on Sunday with Australia beating the hosts for their sixth title.
The ICC said a total 1,250,307 fans watched the October 5 to November 19 showpiece event from the stands, surpassing the previous mark of 1.016-million set at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand.
While the early matches not involving runners-up India had plenty of empty seats in venues, overall spectator figures had already surpassed the one-million mark with six games to go.
ICC head of events Chris Tetley said the one-day international (ODI) tournament had been a “great success”.
“The staggering attendance demonstrates the enduring appeal of cricket and excitement the ODI format continues to offer,” Tetley said in a statement, adding that the tournament also broke multiple broadcast and digital viewership records.
This indicates that in the smaller Southern African grounds, if the price and the marketing are right, the 2027 World Cup should be able to achieve decent attendances.
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