ECB struggling to get in crowd for first Test against Sri Lanka
May 5th, 2011 - 1:38 pm ICT by IANSLondon, May 5 (IANS) A thin crowd would welcome England’s Ashes heroes, in their first appearance on home soil since beating Australia, when they take on Sri Lanka in the first Test in Cardiff starting May 26.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is anxious about the attendance because Cardiff and Swansea could meet in the Football League Championship play-off final at Wembley over the same Bank Holiday weekend.
The Mirror reported that none of the five days have been sold out and the ECB have had to launch an advertising campaign to drive sales above their baseline budget figure.
England’s Ashes hero Ian Bell paid an ambassadorial visit to Cardiff 12 days ago to make a sales pitch for the 2011 season’s international curtain-raiser.
“All the England players love coming to Cardiff — it’s a great place to start the summer. When you come to the Swalec stadium as a county player to face Glamorgan, you always know it will be an intimidating but knowledgeable crowd - and I know from experience it’s better to have that support on your side,” Bell was quoted as saying during his trip.
It is a sheer coincidence that England’s cricket team start their international campaign on the same weekend when their Test sponsor, npower, stage the richest game in club football at Wembley, worth an estimated 90 million pounds to the winners.
- Thin crowd for Cardiff Test may cost Glamorgan a million pounds - May 27, 2011
- Cardiff will be hell for Aussies, says Simon Jones - Jul 07, 2009
- ECB to sign a 20 million pound deal with Investec - Aug 20, 2011
- Sri Lanka recalls Maharoof as cover - May 24, 2011
- India and England cricket boards to celebrate 100th Test - Jul 20, 2011
- Area around Soccer City sanitised from midnight - Jun 10, 2010
- Big Bash launch pales in comparison with IPL - Dec 17, 2011
- Moores sacking came at the right time: Pietersen - Dec 31, 2010
- ECB asks Pietersen to find a new county or risk losing his contract - Aug 11, 2010
- Andy Flower committed to making England world's No.1 side - May 04, 2011
- Availability, high price went against English cricketers: Franchisees - Jan 09, 2011
- `To leave a winning dressing room is heartbreaking,' says devastated KP - Jul 23, 2009
- Saker signs new contract, to be with England for next two Ashes series - Jan 07, 2011
- Pak fans still hoping to watch 'good and fair cricket' - Sep 06, 2010
- Bell looking to revel on his home soil of Edgbaston - Aug 09, 2011
Tags: advertising campaign, bank holiday weekend, budget figure, club football, cricket team, curtain raiser, england and wales cricket board, england players, first appearance, first test, glamorgan, home soil, international campaign, knowledgeable crowd, sales pitch, sheer coincidence, test sponsor, thin crowd, wales cricket board, wembley