New franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala is grappling with ticketing issues ahead of their April 18 IPL match against Chennai Super Kings, with the city corporation yet to complete the process of stamping its seal on tickets.
KTK, which made its debut this IPL season, saw a lukewarm response from spectators during their first match on April 9 against Royal Challengers Bangalore as the stadium with a capacity of 55,000 was half empty.
Asked about the delay, Kochi mayor Tony Chamanny said the corporation had sought details of the total number of tickets sold during the April 9 match and the details were given late by the management.
The officials are at the job now and all tickets would be stamped with the seal on Tuesday itself, he said.
Kyazoonga.com, the official ticketing partner of the Kerala team, had submitted about 50,000 tickets to the corporation on Monday to get them sealed.
The stadium was hardly occupied during the previous match, for which passes were sold online.
According to sources, officials of Kerala State Electricity Board, Greater Cochin Development Authority, Police and Corporation officials were all given complimentary passes.
The team management had wanted the tickets for the April 18 match to be sold through Federal Bank outlets on Tuesday throughout the state so that sales could begin by on Wednesday.
There are four public holidays, including Kerala's Vishu festival falling on April 15, before the match with CSK, which is giving further headaches to the officials.
The corporation had given 50 per cent entertainment tax waiver. The management, which had paid about Rs. 1 crore as tax for the previous match, has to cough up another Rs. 1.30 crore for the second match.
