63,263 - a small crowd

Cricket South Africa want the next Boxing Day Test between Aus and SAf to be held in South Africa.

Would it draw anywhere near as many as 63,263?

Meh, give or take 63200.

Some of the Aus chip wrappers this morning are seriously calling it a small crowd.

It's sad that Australia and England are the only two countries who you can always count on selling out test matches.

What an atmosphere that must be though.

Demelza wrote:What an atmosphere that must be though.

Definately, wish we had a ground that was anywhere near that capacity. We could easily sell it out for either SA or Aus.

Obviously it is not a small crowd, but given the circumstances of this match some were anticipating a sellout.

Were calling an anticipated 80,000 gate on commentary just after play started yesterday.

They were forgetting the fact that the Poms aren't in town to swell the gate this year...

It's still a damn site bigger than almost anywhere else in the world is likely to draw for Test cricket, and anyone suggesting the BD Test be moved away from the MCG should be told to go and boil their head.

Zat wrote:It's still a damn site bigger than almost anywhere else in the world is likely to draw for Test cricket, and anyone suggesting the BD Test be moved away from the MCG should be told to go and boil their head.

Why?

Because of the revenue?

taipan wrote:

Zat wrote:It's still a damn site bigger than almost anywhere else in the world is likely to draw for Test cricket, and anyone suggesting the BD Test be moved away from the MCG should be told to go and boil their head.

Why?

Because of the revenue?

Because the spectacle of teh MCG with that many people on Boxing Day won't be matched for a spectacle anywhere else in the world. (Check the attendance figures for Tests in SAf taips.) And a big spectacle is good for the game globally. As opposed to a game played in a cavernous, near-empty stadium.

Not disputing the spectacle. Doesn't have to be SA though.

according to the % quoted on ABC radio today, gate receipts only account for around 5% of CA's revenue and tv rights make up about 70%.

taipan wrote:Not disputing the spectacle. Doesn't have to be SA though.

At this stage it's only South Africa suggesting it.

Zat wrote:

taipan wrote:Not disputing the spectacle. Doesn't have to be SA though.

At this stage it's only South Africa suggesting it.

No, all that has been said (and this has been going on since the last tour) that if Aus don't reciprocate, we won't tour over December.

From http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24701488-2882,00.html

Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola ... "We would like to tour there any time, including Boxing Day, provided they are prepared to come to us one Boxing Day as well," ... "In fact, we would choose to play them Boxing Day and (then) alternate, that's the first choice. They are not prepared to do that."

So what he's said is 'South Africa wants a Boxing Day home Test'

Isn't that what I said?

taips, you're being very 'government official' on this.

If SAf is suggesting that the BD Test be in SAf, then surely that means taking it away from the MCG. And it's only SAf suggesting it. Which... is... what... I... said...

Zat I said Aus can have as many Boxing Day games as you like. Just not against us.

I've got no problem with that. And if SAf can start making a spectacle of Test cricket at home, then that would also be good for the game globally.

Anyway, after the tour in afew weeks, the next Aus tour of SAf is scheduled for October 2011 IIRC. Bloody hard to hold a Boxing Day Test in October...

Zat wrote:I've got no problem with that. And if SAf can start making a spectacle of Test cricket at home, then that would also be good for the game globally.

Anyway, after the tour in afew weeks, the next Aus tour of SAf is scheduled for October 2011 IIRC. Bloody hard to hold a Boxing Day Test in October...

I think this might be where the entire debate started.

Unfortunately the isolation years hit SA test attendences badly. When Aus toured here in 69 there was a capacity crowd for the Boxing Day game.

And if the SAf crowds had started coming back to Test cricket - you only tour here one out of four years - then there might be a case for alternating the series. But given that the crowd at most SAf Tests would fit in a broom cupboard, there's no case for it at the moment.

Zat wrote:And if the SAf crowds had started coming back to Test cricket - you only tour here one out of four years - then there might be a case for alternating the series. But given that the crowd at most SAf Tests would fit in a broom cupboard, there's no case for it at the moment.

Nice edit.

But the converse holds true as well.

If you build it, they will come, eh?

This is a classic storm in a teacup.

Yeah, the Sith Eff wallys are grandstanding (or 'grend-stending' as they would call it), and they've got stuff's hope and if they have half a brain they know it. But all the same I'd be interested to see exactly what tone the Oz suits are taking, and how full of absolutely unnecessary self-righteous 'how dare you' crap they might be. The more, the longer this 'story' keeps its legs - there's no Laverne without Shirley..