CAB hopeful of generating Rs 3 crore from India-Pak WC clash

CAB has decided against raising ticket prices despite suffering a Rs 3.7 crore loss during 2014-15

While the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has decided not to raise ticket prices for the upcoming India-Pakistan match scheduled for March 19, it hopes to earn up to Rs 3 crore as non-scheduled income, with the current fiscal year drawing to a close.

With the tickets priced at Rs 500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500, CAB took the decision to not raise ticket prices despite suffering a Rs 3.7 crore loss during 2014-15.

While the entire revenue earned from advertising, promotion and other activities will go to the International Cricket Council (ICC), CAB will earn only from ticket sales of the much-anticipated game.

"We have over a capacity of over 67,000 at the Eden Gardens and have kept the ticket prices the same. If all the tickets are sold, we may earn anywhere between Rs 2.5-3 crore," Biswaroop Dey, treasurer of CAB told Business Standard.

This however, will come in as a one time non-scheduled payment for CAB as the match wasn't originally planned to be held in Kolkata.

After the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) raised security concerns for its players and fans following statements made by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the cricket board had approached the ICC to relocate the group stage match. Subsequently, it got moved to Kolkata from Dharamsala.

This in turn has resulted in Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) suffering a non-scheduled loss. Earlier, when the match dates were announced, HPCA was hopeful of spinning money the tourism that the match would generate.

"We had made packages whereby the spectators could see the match as well as visit tourism places in the state. With the match getting shifted to Kolkata, there is a high level of uncertainty on these packages now," an HPCA official told this newspaper.

Packages starting at Rs 8,000 per pax and ending Rs 23,000 per person were rolled out earlier to attract both Indians as well as foreigners.

The relocation, however, may help CAB mitigate its losses. Last year, to the surprise of many, CAB for the first time in the past 10 years had posted the a loss mainly on account of "unbudgeted expenses".

"Losses were suffered because of a rise in expenses on transport, catering services and several others. However, if CAB is able to earn from this match, it will definitely help them make up for the loss incurred," said Subrata Mukherjee, a cabinet minister in the West Bengal government who is closely associated with CAB.

After former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly started heading CAB, he implemented cost-cutting measures to make-up for the losses. An extra income in the form of a cricket match under the backdrop of cost austerity measures will definitely help CAB gain financially.

Over the impact of the earnings from the India-Pakistan match on CAB's revenue, Ganguly, however, took a cautious stand.

"These two things (accumulated loss and one-time earnings from this game) are entirely different and we need to later see how it unfolds.

The loss scenario is concerned with running costs and the earning from the match is a one-time non-scheduled affair."

While the overheads may be different, the match will definitely help CAB earn extra income towards the end of the current fiscal year.