The BCCI may have chosen to move the IPL finals from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad based on financial viability, according to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwra on Thursday.
He stated that there have been no complaints about security or arrangements in Bengaluru and stressed that giving tickets to MLAs had nothing to do with moving the final match.
The BCCI confirmed on Wednesday that Ahmedabad will host the IPL final on May 31 for the second consecutive season, taking the place of “originally designated” Bengaluru. Dharamsala will host Qualifier 1, while New Chandigarh will host two more playoff games.
“There have been five matches here and there hasn’t been even a single complaint regarding security. They (BCCI) have no reservations regarding the arrangements. There have been no complaints about police or administration from the IPL, RCB or KSCA,” Parameshwara said.
PTI quoted Parameshwara telling reporters in Bengaluru, “Unofficially, what we have learned is that the stadium (Chinnaswamy stadium) here has about 33,000 seats, and of those, about 7,000-8,000 passes or seats are blocked for VIPs, sponsors, RCB, and the teams playing the final match. Only about 25,000 passes will remain.”
“Since it will not work out commercially, they might have decided to shift the match to Ahmedabad, which has a one-lakh seat capacity. This discussion has been ongoing since the beginning. While KSCA wanted the match to happen here citing rules that the first and last matches should be held at the reigning champion’s home turf, perhaps they (BCCI) made an exception,” he added.
The home minister denied claims that the match was moved because legislators were given match passes, “This has nothing to do with it. How many passes have been given? What difference will four passes make?”
On Wednesday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar denied claims that the IPL final was moved from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad because MLAs were given tickets. He suggested that the availability of a bigger stadium in Ahmedabad might be the cause of the change.
As Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the reigning champions, Bengaluru was supposed to host the championship game. Ahmedabad has already hosted the IPL final in 2022 and 2023, except from this year.
“Bengaluru was originally designated to host the final. However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned,” the BCCI stated in a press release without specifying the exact requirements in the Karnataka capital.
Following talks with representatives of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, which oversees the city’s Chinnaswamy stadium, Shivakumar declared in March that each MLA would receive three free tickets for IPL matches and two free tickets for international matches, with the option to purchase two more. Several sections criticized this.
Shivakumar’s statement came after lawmakers from both parties in the Assembly voiced concerns about their tickets and seating arrangements at the city’s top venue. Speaker U T Khader then requested that the government make sure each MLA had four VIP tickets to the stadium during games.
