India vs Windies | Sourav Ganguly not ready to compromise with "complimentary" passes

The disagreement between BCCI and the MPCA over the distribution of the complimentary ticket distribution may result in the second ODI between India and Windies move out from Indore to Baroda. The issue came up after BCCI demanded various sections in the hospitality pavilion for their stakeholders.

As per the new BCCI constitution, 90 percent of tickets of the total capacity of the stadium should be put for public sale, and 10 percent should be reserved for state unit which apparently counts 700 seats out of 7000 in the hospitality pavilion. The state board has the power to distribute those 700 tickets for their various members and partner clubs, but the governing body of the sport in the country demanded some passes in the hospitality pavilion for sponsors, BCCI members, and other sub-committee staffs. 

As it has been a controversy, President of Cricket Association of Bengal Sourav Ganguly has also nodded over Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) demanding for complimentary passes for the first T20I between the two teams at the Eden Gardens on November 4. 

“We will have to give the complimentary tickets which we have been giving. We cannot compromise on that. And I completely understand the problems faced by Indore/MPCA and I’m totally with them because the practical problems are never understood. Their claim is completely legitimate,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

“I don’t know what they (BCCI) will do. If they want (to take the game away), they can. But we are not going to compromise.” he added. 

According to the BCCI constitution, only 10 percent of the stadium seats are only available for state associations and remaining 90 percent is available for public sale. But Eden Gardens holds a capacity of little over 66,000 distributes 30,000 as complimentary passes.

“I cannot go and ask the government agencies, bureaucrats – people who make the match happen – to collect tickets and pay,” Ganguly said. Asked if the CAB’s stand will risk the Eden game, he replied: “I don’t know what they (BCCI) will do. If they want (to take the game away), they can. But we are not going to compromise.”  

Ganguly briefly explained that the board has the compulsion to give complimentary tickets to sports departments, government agencies like Kolkata Corporation, Police and fire brigade, and more others. The Cricket Association of Bengal also has over 121 affiliated units which also “expect respective quota of complimentary tickets.”

“Not only the affiliated units, the honorary and life members too are entitled to complimentary tickets. And we have to give about 2,000 tickets to the NCC. So it’s not possible. They (BCCI/CoA) don’t understand the practicality (of the matter),” the former India captain said.