Watching Indian Premier League (IPL) matches from the stadium will get costlier next season after the next generation GST (Goods and Services Tax) reforms were announced on Wednesday.
So far, IPL tickets had been under the 28 per cent tax slab, but as per the reforms, they now fall in the 40 per cent segment, on par with tobacco products as well as casino, race clubs and other luxury spendings. Following the revision, the costliest ticket for a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) home game (previously Rs 42,350) could go up by nearly Rs 4,000. At Chepauk, the costliest ticket (Rs 7,000) will likely go up to Rs 7,656.
At present, beyond the base price, there was a 28 per cent tax on each ticket. For example, the cheapest Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ticket for a home game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium cost Rs 1,700. Following the tax revision, it will now cost at least Rs 1,860. Similarly, a Rs 2,500 ticket will now cost Rs 2,754 while watching games from the C, D and E upper stands will likely cost around Rs 4,370. Fans in Chennai will also have to pay an additional 25 per cent as entertainment tax to the state government.
For defending champions RCB’s home games at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where a surge pricing model was employed in the past, the cheapest ticket (Rs 2,300) will now cost around Rs 2,515.
The two IPL franchises which have a huge fan following and witness a big clamour for tickets usually have their stadiums packed. There have been regular instances of fans, after purchasing the tickets online, selling them in the black market for a significantly higher price.
At the Wankhede Stadium, the home of Mumbai Indians (MI), the cheapest ticket from next season could go from Rs 990 to Rs 1,082 and the most expensive one from Rs 18,000 to Rs 19,687.
Ever since IPL came into being, it hasn’t been granted tax exemption as it is seen as an entertainment product. Other than RCB, CSK and MI, other franchises mostly adopt a flexible pricing model depending on the opposition. For instance, a ticket for a Punjab Kings home game against Rajasthan Royals tends to be cheaper than for a game against RCB or CSK because of the presence of big-name players.
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PKL, ISL tickets to get expensive
And not just IPL, even the Pro Kabaddi League and Indian Super League could witness an increase in ticket prices. According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, admission to other sporting events, including recognised sporting events where the ticket price is not more than Rs. 500 continues to be exempt. If the price is above Rs. 500, it will continue to be taxed at the standard rate of 18 per cent.
(The prices mentioned are based on last season ticketing rates and there could be changes depending on what each franchise decides).
