Cricket in a Stadium - MI vs KKR Experience ( Vid: Picture in Picture )

[Rajiv]

So as many of you know, I had the opportunity to go to my beloved Homeland - MUMBAI. It was a 10 day trip after 10 years, I had to experience 1 year in 1 day. I was lucky enough to meet majority of my friends, family members but the biggest excitement for me was to see "the boss" in flesh/blood and enjoy a live cricket match. I couldn't let this chance slip away due to my timing and IPL season. While ICF'ers like Gambit were trying to arrange tickets for me, I tried to grab anyone and everyone who could get me a ticket and after being swindled by 2-3 individuals who raised the price after my desperate voice, I was handed VIP passes by my friends husband who works with filmi's. Each ticket was priced at 12,500 rupees and that's a pretty penny. The walk from the cab to the stadium with a IPL badge, VIP passes and onlookers was a superb and very very impressed by the security. It was like cops, undercover, commandos, some army jeep and a 2 tier check up. So off we go to the 2nd floor where 2 maidens welcomed us and made me wear a band. The VIP lounge was awesome with buffet ( dishes like amchuri macchi, peshawari gosht, baby naans, deserts, beer, wine, tea, coffee etc ). So I gulped a cold one and put the rest in a plastic cup while entering the seating area I was mesmerized by the stadium and closed by eyes to imagine, how it must have been during the WC final. I was watching the players practice, enjoying the music and trying to get a glimpse of Sachin So it was around 30 min mark where this young IPL official tried to settle everyone in their seats as the place was sold out. I am on the heavy side and didn't even realize I was actually sitting on 2 seats. This is when I realized that a 12K ticket has a child's seat, my friend got angry and got in an argument with the kid. As its not so offensive in India, he shouted" abhye yeh mota hain, to kaisa fit hoega" and then the kid responded by saying" sir, yeh mote hain to mein kya karo, aapne to ek hi ticket li hain "- I mean in all this, no one cares about my feelings. My friend told the kid that he wont move and demanded to know the people he wants to fit, the kid pointed out to this guy and the best part was that he was 2 X my size...so my friend went berserk. he said " abhey bhen**, yeh to isse bhi mota hain", there was some teens who were sitting in the same aisle, they burst out laughing and I couldn't stop either. They offered me the 1st seat in the row so I could stretch my leg but it hurt when they said "Uncle aap idhar aao". The whole experience was great but I have to say this, if this wasn't for IPL - I don't think I can sit for more than 3-4 hours and I was the one to claim that I will go and watch a test match for 5 days. It's impossible to sit in those hard chairs and I really don't blame the public for empty stand during tests etc. The most diehard fan will still go but with this booming economy where folks can afford TV's etc, I don't think this will improve and they really needs do something about the comfort part. Its obviously different for IPL, and ODI's, 5th day test match but not for longer periods My dream was to capture an whole match live but even after spare batteries, I was able to grab a glimpse with some PIP - Watch in Full Screen

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[Desi Cartman]

Great, its good to know that you had fun. I also had a similar moment in Delhi when people werent moving to let me out of the Metro train. Its kinda weird but no one moves an inch to let people in or out. I kept saying excuse me but to no help, I then said "Abey Itna bada aadmi hoon kaise nikunla .. size nahi dekha" then one of them smiled and I said " bhai hansega ke hateyga bhi ." he moved a few inches but not too much but I was able to get out. Then I realized that people like it when fat people make fun of themselves but above all no one in bharat likes to give way :((

[Nova]

:haha: at the seat experience! I thought the hospitality tickets include cushioned seats, but I guess that is for corporate boxes. Good you could at least go to see the match in style. It would have been a bummer if you had not found any tickets or passes!

[bulbul]

:hysterical: are u serious about "Fat" or just joking :hmmm:

[Rajiv]

^^ Very Serious

[Sidhoni]

:cantstop: @ the seat experience

[Swing_n_Speed]

Hospitality sounds impressive.

[bangladeshifan]

nice read rajiv uncle ji :haha::haha:

[Old guy]

man those plastic seats.. i rememb my match experience x( worst part was people kept on standing on seats after 4 and six blocking whole view... also shoes on seats how can they expect others to sit on it (im tlaking abt mohali) in vip stand it was better but yes sitting there for tests in summer day is impossible for me too seats jsut arent comfortable enough to sit there for whole day

[Stuge]

I can understand your feelings man .People seldom understand that making jibes on physical basis of someone is not done at all :(. whatever , you had a great experience of IPL :) .Surely, you will remember this throughout your life :) . Still that seat experience is funny without a doubt specially the second part :cantstop: On a whole I agree sitting on plastic chars for Test matches for all the 5 days will be pretty hard .I remember we were provided with Shaadi wala cushion chairs during India vs Windies Test match last winter in Kotla .

[rkt.india]

:hysterical:

[Dinx - the Jinx]

Interesting read Rajiv... Its interesting to know how the perception of paying public has changed over the years regarding facilities at cricket stadiums. I've been a regular at stadiums whenever there is a test match in whichever city Ive been living at the time. My first stadium experience was 1987 WC match which I went along with my dad as a small boy. From 1994 onwards I've been going on my own with friends and during the 90s and early 2000s, having your bums on a plastic chair was considered a luxury (only the pavilion / VIP areas had those seats). As a college student I've been to test matches involving India (Vs Aus 1997, Vs Pak 1999, Vs Aus 2001) with 5 days season tickets at as little as Rs. 200. Seatings were on wooden benches. no seat numbers to guarantee that you get a seat. For ODIs, If you dont reach before an hour of match start, there is no way you'll get a seat (test matches you will or will not depending upon who is batting). So we used to reach the venue and get into stands at 8AM for a 9AM start to ensure that we get a seat which has the best uninterrupted view (the big round pillars at MAC used to be an annoyance). Those days there were even stands without any seat i.e concrete floors. But I enjoyed watching those matches sitting among noisy but knowledgeable chennai crowd. The understanding of the test match scenarios and the session by session battle was so immense among the crowd that even a dull session of 40 runs with no wickets lost used to be very entertaining. Once I graduated and started working, it became affordable to goto higher priced stands, not because I was not comfortable with other stands but to get the experience of watching the live match from different angles. (Vs WI 2002, Vs Aus 2004, Vs Pak 2007, Vs SA 2008, Vs Eng 2008, Vs Aud 2008, 2010). Today I can boast that I have sat in every part of the MA Chidambaram and Chinnaswamy. I enjoyed watching test cricket due to the relaxed way in which you can get to the stadium, park without hassle, sit wherever you want etc. than ODIs or T20 (I've been to 10 odd ODIs and 3 or 4 T20s as well) not so long ago, when I joined this Forum in 2008, I used to get so angry with some of the NRI posters who would have never visited a stadium in their life (or may be once or twice on a free ticket) but will criticise the facilities and how it is or it is perceived to be a difficult experience to goto stadiums in india. those days the complaints used to be toilet facilities and food/water availability. now, with almost all our premiere stadiums sporting new looks (thanks to champions trophy in 2006 and WC in 2011), separate seats for each tickets, premium lounges, 5 star food and beverages, still NRIs (I'm not talking about Rajiv alone) are complaining. This time, the issue is plastic seats.. wow.. and the expectation now is 2 seats for 1 ticket... are you kidding? or are we expecting reclining chairs with cushions like the ones we get in Gold Classes in multiplexes? I want to know how many of these NRIs fly by Business class when they do a personal travel to India paying from their pocket. Do they raise the same issue with the economy class seats of a lufthansa or a british airways? One thing I have come to terms with is, people will keep expecting more and will keep criticising everything indian. What next? Centralized AC for the entire stadium? I'm sure stadiums in India have reached world class status (not just VIP lounges, even the lowest priced stands have good facilities) and I say this with pride. I'm not talking without comparision. I had watched a match in SCG as well and I can confidently say that the new look MAC is better than the SCG now.

[Rajiv]

^^ but dinnx, you get broad seats when you pay for business class. A ticket for 12K should have better seating, but even for normal public there should be seats which could be little more comfortable. I don't know about other stadiums, is it the same in AUS etc? I went to see 'Department" in this theater which had reclining seats, very nice experience and intact I posted this on my wall that we didn't see stuff like this in North America

[Dinx - the Jinx]

Its the same seats even in Sydney Cricket ground. Just that they were foldable to give way for walkers... the thing is, we cannot expect big seats in stadiums. the idea is to have an optimum size, to strike balance between comfort and no. of seats that can be placed in a given amount of area. if we add more seats, more people can come and enjoy the game. if we give priority to comfort and give big seats and make it affordable only to fewer people, then others cannot get it. As a kid havent you ever felt when you see a house full board in a theatre or stadium that you would have been happy even to stand or sit in a corner than going back home cos all the wealthy bastards have bought all the tickets ;) you can afford 12k or even double that to pay for better seats and A/C enclosures. however think of the people on the streets who cannot even think of spending 1200 for a ticket. they must be thinking why dont they just give me a wooden chair or even a place to stand and watch the match but at a price affordable to me??? Note: I havent seen a match yet in mumbai.. but last year when I went to mumbai on work, i went to the empty stadium (i do this whichever city i goto that has a cricket stadium, whether there is a match being played on not ;)

[Dinx - the Jinx]

^^ but dinnx, you get broad seats when you pay for business class. A ticket for 12K should have better seating, but even for normal public there should be seats which could be little more comfortable. I don't know about other stadiums, is it the same in AUS etc?

but how many of you pay for business class while traveling personally. Do you complain that economy class seats are uncomfortable? then why complain when its the same in an indian stadium. BTW.. if you think 12K is a premium price comparable to biz class in airlines.. i'm sorry... IPL has taken the ticket prices to cricket matches to a completely different level. The best seats in the house are going for 50K plus. The seats must have been uncomfortable for you i can understand. but don think that is the case with majority of people. what are we talking about here? newly installed fibre chairs during the 2011 WC right? I gave you examples of how it used to be 10 years back with concrete floors and wooden benches..

I went to see 'Department" in this theater which had reclining seats' date=' very nice experience and intact I posted this on my wall that we didn't see stuff like this in North America[/quote'] thats super luxury i wud say.. but do you think it makes sense to have seats like those in a cricket stadium. you cant even get up and jump for 6/4s and wickets :) if you want that kind of comfort while watching a cricket match, then why bother going to a stadium in the first place.. he he he BTW.. I saw the video.. looks like you reached the place much ahead of time. its always good to goto a match 1 or 2 hours before so that you enter easily and choose your seat, also watch practice sessions :two_thumbs_up:

[prasadiyer]

Great, its good to know that you had fun. I also had a similar moment in Delhi when people werent moving to let me out of the Metro train. Its kinda weird but no one moves an inch to let people in or out. I kept saying excuse me but to no help, I then said "Abey Itna bada aadmi hoon kaise nikunla .. size nahi dekha" then one of them smiled and I said " bhai hansega ke hateyga bhi ." he moved a few inches but not too much but I was able to get out. Then I realized that people like it when fat people make fun of themselves but above all no one in bharat likes to give way :((

Sorry to hear that about Delhi commuters. But in Bombay local trains they will. You have to just say "utarney ka hain" (bombay lingo) and no matter how crowded it is and how fat you are, you will be given room to get off - even if some of the footboard passengers also have to temporarily get off the train and get back in.

[Cricketics]

Good on you Rajiv. It sucks the way your own fellow country folks treat and talk but glad you were able to enjoy the match. Also kudos on that editing you did by addding PIP. Perfect stuff.

[veer]

I know the feeling dude... especially when you going there after 10 years.. I went to see a game in Mumbai last year and it was an eye opener.. IPL has created lot of jobs even for poor ppl.. I remember that just outside of train station (half a mile away from the stadium).. vendors were seling t-shirts, horns, flags etc.. and then just outside of stadium ppl were selling those same fake mumbai t-shirts with slightly higher price + face painting .. and I couldnt believe that 80% of people were wearing Mumbai Indian t-shirts (fake or real).. and I was the only one wearing Cricket INDIA t-shirts.. it was funny... and then when you go inside the stadium, as Rajiv mentioned, you have college going kids trying to keep things organized.. During this game, I realized so many things have changed/changing in India.. One thing to mention is that Food/Ticket prices were so high that you can easily say that going to IPL is not for lower or lower middle class.. its for middle and above class.. but it's a known thing i think.

[Vilander]

MI vs KKR has got to be the best IPL experience in terms of big indian teams and big crowds..i think MI vs RCB comes cose