The rush for tickets for local matches in this year’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is on with fans
Graham Alli
buying for their extended family members form near and far.
The ticket office at Camp and Quamina streets in Georgetown which also houses the Guyana Amazon Warriors merchandise shop is a hive of activities since opening its doors on Thursday June 9 with the sale of tickets and merchandise matching each other pound for pound.
Guyana Times Sport spoke to a few patrons at the ticket office who stressed that CPL is really a family event.
Randy Persaud who is a local Drag Racer and auto dealer said he was mandated to purchase tickets early for the ‘perfect’ seats in the green stand where 15 members of his family can sit together and cheer on the Warriors. Most of the 15 Persaud mentioned are from Orlando Florida who asked him to also secure the original replica clothing before it’s all gone. His family who are ardent cricket fans will also be joining the biggest party in sport when the action bowls off in Florida on July 28 and they intend to wear the clothing there to show their support once again.
Graham Alli, club captain of the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) was high in praises for the new ticketing office and merchandise shop and stated that his club has a special relationship with CPL that he intends to maintain. Alli, said that every year the club buys tickets for its members so that they can view the matches as the “GCC
Randy Persaud
Family” all sitting together.
Alli stressed that this year he expects the Warriors to take the crown mainly due to the experience of Captain Martin Guptil and the impressive young Australian leg-spinner, Adam Zampa. The GCC Executive went on to say that the CPL experience is second to none with knowledgeable fans who create a fantastic atmosphere beyond the boundary while on the field of play the cricket is usually of a high standard.
The Hack family is also growing with CPL and 2016 they are going to higher heights. Zahid Hack said his parents sent the children to pick up tickets early since the relatives from overseas are planning their vacation around the entire CPL, in and out of Guyana. Hack said his cousins who will be on school vacation are super excited to go back to CPL since they intend to watch matches in Guyana, Florida and the finals. On match days, there will be approximately 20 members of the Hack family repping for the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Hack wasted no time in sharing his family’s experience with photographs of their previous experiences at CPL in Trinidad and Tobago.
Hack stressed that his family are somewhat disappointed that the Barbados Tridents with AB De Villiers will, not be playing at Providence but admitted that he is looking forward to the Warriors opening home game against the Jamaica Tallawahs.
Many of the fans confidently stated that CPL is as big as the Indian Premier league since many West Indian players play in both competitions while in the Caribbean the people know how to have fun when unconsciously creating an electric atmosphere that leaves the world waiting for more.
CPL opens on June 29 while the Guyana Amazon Warriors get into action on June 30 at Warner Park against the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. The Warriors will have four matches at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence – on Thursday July 7 at 19:00 Hrs they will open against the Jamaica Tallawahs then on Saturday July 9 they will clash with the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots from 12:00 Hrs. The grudge match will be the next day (Sunday July 10) when the Warriors meet the Trinbago Knight Riders at 19:00 Hrs. The Guyana leg of matches will wrap up with a 19:00 Hrs meeting with the St. Lucia Zouks.
Tickets are on sale at the new CPL ticket centre at 238 Camp and Quamina streets, Georgetown where the merchandise shop is also located.
Tickets cost $4,000 for the Red and Green stands, $3,000 for the Orange stand and $2,000. Vehicle parking passes are $1,000 each.
