IPL 2019: Heartbreak for Chennai Super Kings fans again

Totally, the Tamil Nadu state government is losing out on more than Rs 90 lakh as taxes per match.

Published : Apr 22, 2019 22:50 IST , chennai

CSK, the most successful team in IPL, has, arguably, the biggest fan following among the franchises.
CSK, the most successful team in IPL, has, arguably, the biggest fan following among the franchises.
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CSK, the most successful team in IPL, has, arguably, the biggest fan following among the franchises.

The Chennai fans have lost out again. The IPL final has been shifted out of the city with the three stands ‘I, J and K’, continuing to be locked up, proving the roadblock.

There was considerable disappointment in the TNCA ranks after the title clash went to Hyderabad. “With CSK being the holder of the IPL title, the match should have been held here as per norm,” said an official.

READ| IPL 2019 final shifted from Chennai to Hyderabad

Only Qualifier 1

Now, only Qualifier 1, among the play-off matches, will be held in the city.

Joint secretary R.I. Palani told Sportstar on Monday, “The issue of the stands needs to be resolved soon. The fans have suffered so much already.”

The MCC has agreed for the demolition of the gym to create the needed setback space between the stands and the club; it had written so to the Collector.

However, things have been moving slowly since the lease of the ground to the TNCA and the MCC by the State Government has not been renewed since 2015. And this has come in the way of the demolition of the gym.

READ| HCA welcomes decision to host IPL 2019 final

Govt. losing revenue

It must be said that the Government has been losing out on considerable revenue. Assuming conservatively that the price of each ticket in the I, J and K stands is ₹1500, the total comes to ₹1.8 crore for 12,000 seats, in every game.

Out of this, 25% goes as entertainment tax [entire amount going to State Government] and 28%, as GST. Totally, the Government is losing out on more than ₹90 lakh as taxes per match.

Several matches have not been awarded to Chennai because of the three stands. It was not given any men’s match in the 2016 ICC World Twenty20.

The stands in question were first shut in 2012 by the Corporation. After that it was opened only once, in late 2012, for the India-Pakistan ODI following special permission.

Yellow everywhere

CSK, the most successful team in IPL, has, arguably, the biggest fan following among the franchises. You go anywhere, Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Kolkata, around 50% of the spectators, wearing yellow, root for CSK. It’s an incredible sight.

Sadly, many of them travel out of Chennai to witness these matches since sufficient number of seats are not available for them at Chepauk.

The sooner the issue gets sorted out the better. The cricket fans of the city should not be punished.

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