The call for Bangladesh's matches to be relocated outside India ahead of the T20 World Cup has indeed created a buzz. But the real question is, will the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suffer a major financial setback if the International Cricket Council (ICC) obliges? The answer is clear – it's not a major blow but rather a limited impact that depends on several factors.
Firstly, it's essential to dispel a myth. Revenue from tickets, broadcasting, and central sponsorship during ICC events doesn't directly flow into BCCI's coffers. These rights are held by the ICC Business Corporation (IBC). As the host board, BCCI's role is confined to hosting and operations, with its income mainly stemming from match-day surplus, local sponsorship, and on-ground activation.
That's why moving Bangladesh's matches out of India won't affect BCCI's broadcast or central World Cup income. If there's any downside, it will be confined to the match-day economics.
According to the current schedule, Bangladesh is set to play West Indies, Italy, and England in group stages at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, and face Nepal in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Eden Gardens holds around 63,000, whereas Wankhede can accommodate 33,000, making for a total of approximately 222,000 seats at stake.
Initial ticket prices are set between 100 to 300 rupees, but these are just entry-level. The real revenue comes from premium stands, hospitality boxes, and corporate tickets. If 60 to 90% of these four matches were attended, with average ticket prices ranging from 500 to 1500 rupees, the total gross gate collection could range from 7 to 30 crores.
While this figure sounds substantial, remember that it's the total ticket revenue, not BCCI's net profit. Given ticketing remains under ICC's control, BCCI's actual risk is much lower.
The game here is about scenarios:
- If ICC moves Bangladesh's matches from India without reallocating another match to those Indian venues, the loss will be maximized but is considered a less likely scenario.
- A practical option would be that although matches get relocated, Indian stadiums get backfilled with other fixtures. In this case, seats will still sell, and the downside will be linked to the demand's quality. For example, replacing a match like England vs. Bangladesh is tough, but substituting Bangladesh-Italy can happen with ease.
- The third and safest alternative for BCCI is if ICC swaps only venues or dates, keeping India's match inventory intact. Here, losses would not be in revenue but in logistics and additional operational costs.
In this whole debate, the importance of Eden Gardens and Wankhede isn't limited to their spectator capacity. These stadiums serve as major hubs for local sponsorship and on-ground brand activations, especially for attractive matches like those against England, which are significant for ticket sales and hospitality.
