The fierce loyalty of Royal Challengers Bangalore fans was on display once again as ticket prices for their opening home fixture against Lucknow Super Giants skyrocketed closer to matchday. According to sources, the cheapest ticket available cost a tidy sum of Rs 2,300 while corporate boxes saw astronomical last-minute surges pushing the price for the best seats all the way up to Rs 52,938!
It is no secret that demand for premium matches featuring star players like Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis sends the ticket touts into a frenzy. Franchise owners are well aware of this demand and are actively leveraging dynamic pricing strategies to maximize revenue from packed stadiums. A DDCA official revealed franchises independently control pricing with little oversight from the cricket board.
An official from two-time champions Chennai Super Kings shed some light on their approach, saying tickets sales and sponsorship sponsor are vital revenue streams due to high taxes eating away at other incomes. Interestingly, they opt to keep prices reasonable starting at Rs 1,700 despite their massive fan following. Meanwhile in Bengaluru, RCB fans proved willing to pay substantially more to cheer on their team from the stands.
Experts point out location plays a big role, with affordability much higher in metro cities. Demand is also influenced by the quality of opposition as well as availability of crowd pullers like Dhoni, Kohli and Rohit on the field. With millions glued to their TV and digital screens every season, it is evident that premier match tickets in the IPL will remain a hot commodity for armchair fans willing to pay a premium to experience the action live.
