IPL 2024: Despite its losing sequence, RCB fans spend over Rs 50,000 per ticket for home games

It's the loyal fanbase of the team and the hype around team's star players that has enabled the franchise to adopt surge pricing and face no objection from its admirers.

If you're looking forward to watch a game of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in its home-ground, M Chinnaswamy stadium, and have to book your tickets last minute, you will have to shell out Rs 52,938 for one ticket, but if you're quick to grab tickets for a Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) match, you could get one for Rs 499.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gives free hand to IPL franchises to decide ticket pricing. This free hand has enabled franchises to adopt surge pricing, dynamic-rate strategies that maximise their profits, an Indian Express report revealed.

Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) secretary Rajan Manchanda told IE that the association has no role to play in ticket pricing.

"They (franchises) do the pricing by themselves. We provide them with the infrastructure and our job is to fulfill their requirements. We don’t engage in the pricing of tickets", he said.

RCB tops list, CSK come last

RCB, despite being on a losing sequence, tops the list of ticket pricing. It's the loyal fanbase of the team and the hype around team's star players - Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell - that has enabled the franchise to charge a minimum of Rs 2,300 and maximum Rs 52,938 per ticket in Bengaluru and face no objection from its admirers.

The rates increase as the match approaches. For its opening match, entry for fan terrace went from Rs 4,840 to Rs 6,292 and for corporate stands, it went Rs 42,350 to Rs 52,938, the publication reported.

The defending champions of IPL, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), charge the least out of all teams. For a CSK match, ticket price starts at Rs 1,700 and goes up to Rs 6,000.

Ticketing economics

Justifying ticket pricing, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told IE, "When tickets are being sold in the black market for huge prices – which is of no use to us – we have to adjust it accordingly. So after the stadium facilities were upgraded, the price was adjusted as per the market demand. Moreover, for each ticket we pay 58 per cent tax (28 per cent GST and 25 per cent entertainment). So the returns are minimal for us."

Former BCCI GM Amrit Mathur, who was also Delhi franchise's COO once told the publication that ticket pricing is always determined by market and that 'dynamic pricing is a standard market practice.'

"It’s the demand that dictates the price. Just like a player’s value at the auction table and the price of a franchise. The ticket price depends on various factors. A night game (ticket) will cost more than that for a 3.30 pm game. A weekend game will be priced higher than one on a weekday. If there are no takers, the price will come down," he told IE.

Venue factor

A Punjab Kings (PBKS) official talked about the venue factor in ticket pricing.

"If you are playing in Mumbai, the same ticket price can be Rs 5,000, but in Chandigarh, it could be just Rs 1,000. Pricing is decided as per demand and supply, affordability, culture, and the eagerness of the people to pay", he told IE.

Star power

Manchanda also spoke to the publication about the role of star power in ticket pricing.

He said that the presence of India's star players like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma correlates with high ticket prices because people will come in huge numbers to see their favourite stars play.

"If M S Dhoni, Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma are playing, the prices would be higher than if Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad or LSG are in the town. You know that if Dhoni or Kohli is here, it will be sold out", he told IE.

Ticket pricing of IPL teams

RCB - Minimum Rs 2,300; Maximum Rs 52,938

CSK - Minimum Rs 1,700; Maximum Rs 6,000

PBKS - Minimum Rs 750; Maximum Rs 9,000

LSG - Minimum Rs 499; Maximum Rs 20,000

KKR - Minimum Rs 750; Maximum Rs 28,000

MI - Minimum Rs 990; Maximum Rs 18,000

GT - Minimum Rs 499; Maximum Rs 20,000

DC - Minimum Rs 2,000; Maximum Rs 5,000

RR - Minimum Rs 500; Maximum Rs 20,000

SRH -Minimum Rs 750; Maximum Rs 30,000