Why does Pakistan not have big stadiums?

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The PCB expects a revenue of Rs 80 to 100 million ($1.73 million) from ticket sales, but Khan added: “I am disappointed we don’t have large stadiums like India and considering the rapid sale of tickets I fear many fans would have to watch the series on television.”
Source

Having read Shaharyar’s comments concerning ticket sales makes me ponder about the countries stadium size to the rest of the world.

Rough estimations.
Pakistan’s population: 150 million+
Karachi: 10 million
Lahore: 5.5 million
Rawalpindi: 1.5 million
Multan: 1.2 million

The matter I’m trying to state is, why doesn’t Pakistan have big stadiums? Living in Canada, we have a low budget Canadian Football League (CFL), and with cities the size of 750,000, they have stadium sizes of 40,000. There is many football (Soccer) stadiums around the world from Africa, to South America, who have huge capacity stadiums. Currently, many stadiums are carrying at least 70,000.
The largest Pakistan holds is in Lahore and Karachi, which is close to 35,000 (I may be wrong, sometimes i’ve heard less).

India’s Eden Gardens, probably the cricket world’s largest holds over 100,000 spectators. Many stadiums in India hold a large capacity, from Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, etc.
The size of these cities are fairly similar to that of Karachi and Lahore, but they differ in the stadium.

Both countries have very enthusastic supporters, who will give their lives for their cricket team. Unfortunately test cricket may be held to blaim for the low attendance in Pakistan, but in India it still fills every seat. Maybe it’s insificient money, available land, an unpredicable team?

If we were as good as Australia do you think people would come more to watch Pakistan’s test matches?

Next time, if Pakistan is to make a stadium anywhere (eg, Karachi, Lahore) should they expand the size? Is it worth it when no one comes to a Test match?

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big stadiums for whom...

who goes to watch matches. In the latest series..all the stadiums were empty. No one goes there.

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Qaddafi stadium used to accomodate 40,000 easily... and 45,000+ when pushed. Those were the times when General Stand had no chairs, and people will either stand or sit on layered concrete rows. But then they installed rang-baringi chairs so all spectators can watch, and that reduced the size to 35,000 or so. Not sure.

These cricket stadiums (Qaddafi & National) only get filled once in a blue moon. Once, we get back into the limelight of international sports... or figure out multiple uses of stadiums, to keep them relatively busy through out the year, then it will make more sense to make bigger ones. Right now, the economics won't make much sense, especially for a country like Pakistan, with limited resources.

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i think the upcoming ind-pak series will be full house but i agree ppl aren't attending as well as they were in the past

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The empty stadiums recently when SA visited Pakistan told its own story. At teh moment larger stadiums cannot be justified.

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Nowadays who has 8 hours of leisure to watch this stupid game. Play football and stadiums will be jam-packed.

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Gaddafi stadium's raised capacity after being renovated in 1995/96 is over 60,000. I think thats good enough for a country like Pakistan. I dont know the capacity of National stadium but as someone said there's no point in increasing it since the series agaisnt South Africa and New Zealand proved the loss of interest as far as people going to stadiums is concerned. All this hype is because of the India series. I think no matter how much we reaise the capacity PCB will still fall shirt of tickets agaisnt India.

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^ I didnt realise that Gaddafi stadium's capacity is 60,000. I thought it was around 40k.

60k is very good and as LM says apart from the Indian series they are not going to come in strenght to fill the stadium, so what's the point of building bigger stadiums.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by shawaiz: *
Nowadays who has 8 hours of leisure to watch this stupid game. Play football and stadiums will be jam-packed.
[/QUOTE]

I GUESS U NEVER PLAYED CRICKET B4 TRY PLAY ONES AND SEE THE CHARM

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Very confusing stats. I was reading on a new site (i'll again try to find the link) that after adding the seats Gaddafi Stadium has capacity of 25,000 and National Stadium 33,000 ppl

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
^ I didnt realise that Gaddafi stadium's capacity is 60,000. I thought it was around 40k.

60k is very good and as LM says apart from the Indian series they are not going to come in strenght to fill the stadium, so what's the point of building bigger stadiums.
[/QUOTE]

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** Gaddafi stadium hosted the final of the 1996 World Cup, which was watched by over 60,000 spectators.

LINK**

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Personally, I doubt very much if Gaddafi Stadium can accomodate 60,000. I know it for a fact that after the renovation, where they put chairs instead of concrete benches, the capacity of the stadium had actually gone down. There were very few actual new stands built during the renovation. Only a few rows were added to the General Stands in the Off side and the On-side. More people can be squeezed in when there were only concrete benches.

Anyway, we'll see what are the spectators figure released during the Pak-India series.

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We can have larger stadiums and yet can justify them. I suggest series b/w India and Pakistan every year like Ashes. One year they play in Pakistan and the next year we visit them. It could be just 7 ODIs in 3 weeks, every year. This will change the whole scene in Pakistan Cricket, Cricketers, PCB, its finances and on the top, spectators will die to get tickets for the series. Also start making sporting wickets, that will add more thrill into the game. Our batsman will adjust in a year or two on those pitches.

Pakistan needs to add some excitment on the home grounds to capture the spectators on regular basis.