Cricket Australia will review ticket prices at the end of what is shaping up as an underwhelming summer. With the obvious exception of the inaugural day-night Test, ticket sales have been sluggish and interest low in Australia’s three-Test series against New Zealand and the West Indies.
A crowd of 1,373 watched day five of the first trans-Tasman Test in Brisbane – a figure the ABC claims was severely inflated. The total attendance for the match was 53,572, a Gabba record for a trans-Tasman Test. But the unedifying sight of empty stands was bemoaned by plenty, including skipper Steve Smith.
There were many reasons behind the figures, yet price is the one over which CA has the most control. “It’s something we’re certainly not blind to,†CA chief executive James Sutherland told ABC radio. “We’ll definitely be reviewing that in greater detail when it comes to the end of this season.â€
Sutherland added it would be naive to believe that price was solely responsible for fans staying away. “It’s not a silver bullet solution. Any marketer or economist will tell you it’s not all about price,†he said.
Sutherland highlighted the fact CA committed to broadcasting all Tests live into local markets in 2013 as one of the other key factors. Previously there would be some form of blackout or delay – incentivising locals to attend the match.
“We don’t want anyone to have any excuse to say they can’t watch the cricket on TV,†Sutherland said. “That’s a very significant step that we’ve taken and that changes the dynamics of the whole equation.â€
www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/14/cr...e-test-crowd-figures 
