For the World Cup final, it all boils down to simple economics: demand versus supply. So, cricket fans are willing to shell out Rs 1.25 lakh for a ticket in the West Avenue stand, the actual price of which is Rs 37,500.
Blackmarketeers are making huge profits by selling tickets for a seat inside the Wankhede Stadium for Saturday. The selling price is nearly 10 times the actual price. Fans insist that the tickets are worth their weight in gold.
Prices in the black market shot up dramatically on Wednesday night when India defeated Pakistan in the semifinal at Mohali. According to sources, the cheapest ticket in the east-west stand, which is priced at Rs 1,500, is selling for nothing less than Rs 18,000. The Rs 5,000 north-stand ticket is priced in the black market at Rs 36,000.
''The Holy Grail are the VIP and VVIP tickets,'' said one source, who insisted that there are two such types of seats on sale for Rs 2.5 lakh. ''Even politicians are jostling for tickets,'' said the source.
It's not only local politicians and businessmen who have allegedly joined the hunt for a World Cup final ticket. College students, too, form a large chunk of buyers. A student from N M College said, ''I bought a ticket in the Sachin stand worth Rs 15,000 for Rs 35,000 last Sunday.''
He got it cheaply as India had at the time not yet bagged a place in the final. The student said his faith in the Indian team helped him get a good deal. ''On Thursday, my friends wanted to purchase the cheapest tickets in the east-west stands. These cost only Rs 1,500, but the agent is asking for Rs 20,000. The agent had only one ticket to sell.''
The same ticket that the N M student purchased for Rs 35,000 now costs Rs 85,000. A marketing executive who describes himself as a die-hard cricket fan said he willingly shelled out the amount for a place in the stadium.
Police say most of the blackmarketeers were people involved in the betting racket. ''Once we started a drive against bookies, most fled to the outskirts. Those who remained behind are making a killing selling tickets,'' said police, issuing a warning to watch out for forged tickets being sold at phenomenal prices.
Blackmarketeers are making huge profits by selling tickets for a seat inside the Wankhede Stadium for Saturday. The selling price is nearly 10 times the actual price. Fans insist that the tickets are worth their weight in gold.
Prices in the black market shot up dramatically on Wednesday night when India defeated Pakistan in the semifinal at Mohali. According to sources, the cheapest ticket in the east-west stand, which is priced at Rs 1,500, is selling for nothing less than Rs 18,000. The Rs 5,000 north-stand ticket is priced in the black market at Rs 36,000.
''The Holy Grail are the VIP and VVIP tickets,'' said one source, who insisted that there are two such types of seats on sale for Rs 2.5 lakh. ''Even politicians are jostling for tickets,'' said the source.
It's not only local politicians and businessmen who have allegedly joined the hunt for a World Cup final ticket. College students, too, form a large chunk of buyers. A student from N M College said, ''I bought a ticket in the Sachin stand worth Rs 15,000 for Rs 35,000 last Sunday.''
He got it cheaply as India had at the time not yet bagged a place in the final. The student said his faith in the Indian team helped him get a good deal. ''On Thursday, my friends wanted to purchase the cheapest tickets in the east-west stands. These cost only Rs 1,500, but the agent is asking for Rs 20,000. The agent had only one ticket to sell.''
The same ticket that the N M student purchased for Rs 35,000 now costs Rs 85,000. A marketing executive who describes himself as a die-hard cricket fan said he willingly shelled out the amount for a place in the stadium.
Police say most of the blackmarketeers were people involved in the betting racket. ''Once we started a drive against bookies, most fled to the outskirts. Those who remained behind are making a killing selling tickets,'' said police, issuing a warning to watch out for forged tickets being sold at phenomenal prices.
No comments:
Post a Comment