Demanding too much, giving too little
Editorial
Kaieteur News
April 2, 2007
A foreign reporter, writing on the internet, noted that “rampant commercialism” on the part of the International Cricket Council may have driven a nail in the coffin of Cricket World Cup 2007.
“The pricing structure here verges on the scandalous and highlights what is increasingly becoming a cancer for the modern game - rampant commercialism, which was once known more simply as greed.
“In Guyana, one of the poorer nations in the world, the cheapest ticket for a place on the grass is US$25 (£12.60). It can cost up to US$100 for a seat. Not only is this pricing structure greedy, it is stupid. Someone has made a major miscalculation when applying the old economic law of supply and demand.
“This is, inevitably, a TV World Cup - that is where the money comes from - and the TV product has been diminished. Not even the most skillful producer can hide those empty stands and the lack of atmosphere for eight hours a day.
“Malcolm Speed, Chief Executive of the International Cricket Council, is once more in Pontius Pilate mode. He said: ‘We had to rely on the advice of the Local Organising Committee to establish the prices of the tickets. It is, in retrospect, a little too rich for the local palate'.”
Many in the region said nothing when the prices were affixed, simply because we in this part of the world had surrendered our country to the International Cricket Council. This was expected to be the case because although the ICC had awarded the games to us, they were in fact the hosted. They called the shots.
In the case of Guyana, the ICC determined the exchanged rate --$207 to the United States dollar—if Chief Executive Officer of the Local Organising Committee, Karan Singh, is to be believed.
Our exchange rate is determined by the movement of foreign currency coming into the country. It fluctuates, depending on the supply of foreign currency. However, the ICC determined that our currency would suffer a severe devaluation during the Cricket World Cup so it compensated for this devaluation.
It made no such determinations in the other countries of the region. But, being as cricket loving as in any other part of the region, Guyanese saved the proverbial widow's mite to buy the tickets that were priced way beyond their reach. They went in their thousands and embarrassed their more affluent colleagues in the region.
The final count read 12,208, much more by far than the crowd in any country. We are certain that this figure would not be surpassed, perhaps until the finals billed for Barbados.
The fact that Guyanese flocked the stadium to see West Indies play is indicative of how they feel about the regional team. We are hosting six matches here but Guyanese picked the match they wanted to see most. They left disappointed but there was no statement of any regret.
The officials had a glorious opportunity to showcase the stadium which is being listed as a showpiece. It is going to be here for the next 100 years and it will accommodate numerous other matches. The stadium has erased the time when matches were halted for an entire day because of a slight sprinkle.
Yesterday, those accustomed to the facilities at the GCC cricket ground saw the rain and expected the worse. There was an almost prompt start to the matches. The stadium passed the test and made this country proud.
It is a shame that the West Indies, which would be using this stadium more than any other cricket team, could not help us feel extremely satisfied by recording their first victory here. That is perhaps the most disappointing moment in the lives of the Guyanese people.
But even that does not detract from the fact that the ICC decided on so many things that were not necessarily in our best interest. It banned musical instruments and noisemakers, changing the tenor of the way we enjoy our game. It removed the West Indian from the game. Fortunately it has relented, perhaps too late.
It influenced legislation that we never contemplated (not a bad thing in retrospect) but it asked for too much.
In the end Guyana delivered.