By Mia Anthony
As the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draws near, cricket enthusiasts in Guyana eagerly lined up along Camp Street at the main box office to secure tickets for the upcoming matches.
The anticipation was palpable, with fans excited to witness the thrilling cricket action firsthand. However, the excitement was tinged with frustration as some fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of organization and delays in ticket sales.
Among the crowd were several disgruntled fans who had taken time off work, hoping to be among the first to purchase tickets. They shared their grievances with Stabroek Sport, pointing out the shortcomings in the ticket distribution process. A family who had travelled from Berbice expressed their disappointment with the limited availability of box offices, which they felt contributed to the chaotic scene. “They should have box offices in Essequibo and Berbice too, to avoid this crowd,” one family member remarked. Despite arriving at 3 am, they found themselves being overtaken in line by others who had arrived much later. “There is no security. We were here since 3, and people come lining up here at 8 and getting through before us,” they lamented.
Another fan, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted his experience of clocking in at work before returning to the box office, only to find himself waiting in line for over three hours. “I clocked in at work, then came back here, but they told us that the system and WiFi are slow inside, so we’re just standing out here,” he explained. His frustration was echoed by McKenzie Saul, another fan who had slipped away from work to purchase tickets.
“I managed to get away from work, but look at the situation out here—the line is so long, and there’s no proper accommodation for people.
They should at least have a number system or something. People who came late are cutting the line, and a few people have even passed out from the heat.”
When Stabroek Sport inquired with the box office staff about the delays, they acknowledged the challenges posed by the high demand for tickets.
According to the gate staff, the sheer volume of ticket sales had slowed down the network, contributing to the long lines both inside and outside the office. They emphasized that they were doing their best to maintain order, but the situation was becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
As the CPL approaches, the need for better organization and more strategically placed box offices has become evident. Fans are hopeful that these issues will be addressed to ensure a smoother ticketing process in the future.
