KOCHI: Kochi may have been the designated 'home ground' of Kochi Tuskers Kerala. But the team owners have apparently felt more 'at home' in Indore, where the team played its last two 'home matches' in their debut Indian Premier League season. According to sources, the owners of the Kochi IPL franchise were pleased with the 'cooperation' extended by the government agencies in Indore.
Not only did they have to pay a lesser amount towards entertainment tax —just 10 percent compared to 24 percent in Kochi—KTK were also allowed to print 20 percent of the total tickets as complimentary passes. The city's civic body had waived the rule stating that only five percent of match-tickets could be printed as complimentary ones, considering the benefits that a high-profile event like the IPL brings to its economy.
"The KTK owners are happy with the cooperation of the government officials in Indore," sources close to the management told Express. Indeed, the representatives of Kochi Cricket Private Ltd—which owns the Kochi IPL team—appeared cheerful while encouraging their players at the Holkar Stadium.
On the other hand, during the five matches held here, the Kochi Corporation and the KCPL were at loggerheads with each other over the issues of entertainment tax and complimentary passes. The Corporation had given a 50 percent exemption in entertainment tax, which still amounted to 24 percent. The civic body also insisted that the IPL franchise pay tax for up to 95 percent of match-tickets, citing the five-percent rule for complimentary passes. The sealing of tickets was also a time-consuming affair. In Indore, the Corporation seal was required to be stamped only on the ticket manifesto, thereby saving the time required for sealing each and every ticket. Originally pegged at 24 percent, the tax was brought down to 10 percent by the Madhya Pradesh government following a request by the KTK management.
However, the management is learnt to be very happy with the cricketing facilities in Kochi. The Holkar Stadium in Indore, with its small boundaries, pales in comparison to the huge Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium. The Tuskers' original 'home venue' boasts of a capacity of 55,000, with scope for many more to cram into its vast galleries, while its 'second home' has a capacity of only around 22,000. As things stand, it remains to be seen how many IPL matches will be played in Kochi next season if the state government does not pay heed to the franchise's request to reduce entertainment tax.