CRICKET GATES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20639, 30 January 1937, Page 16

CRICKET GATES

THEN AND NOW When A. E. Stoddart’s two great cricket teams were in Australia about forty years ago, the “gates” drawn at the Test matches were almost minute by comparison with those of to-day. And yet, the game was extraordinarily healthy, and substantial profits were made by the promoting bodies, says an Australian writer. In the first Sydney match of Stoddart’s first team in 1894, the gross gate was £3109/19/3. That in Melbourne was £2862. Contrast the latter amount with the latest of £29,169! The buildings on the Melbourne Ground are ever so much more commodious now, with the myriads provided with seating accommodation, and most of them with protection from rain and sun. This is the main factor in the Immense attendances and “gates.” The Melbourne Club has run up a

debt of about a quarter of a million. Far the greater part of its revenues come not from the new stand, or any of the public stands, but out of members’ subscriptions. This is the annual asset of the club or trust, which has created the possibility of financing the new double-decker. The money taken at the gates goes mainly to the promoting bodies. These, in the case of cricket, are the Association, the Board of Control, and the Marylebone C.C. Despite the phenomenal success of I the match, grumbles, some genial, some destructive, are still flowing along about the ground arrangements and from the public and other sources, conveniences for the public. These are mainly in connection w’ith ingress and egress to and from the new stand. Some of these grumbles are not reasonably fair to the Melbourne Cricket Club, the body which had the vision and courage to build the stand, the conception of which is without parallel in the cricket world. It was the first time of the stand being open to the big crowds, and, at that, it still unfinished. No matter what happens, or how well people are provided for, they will grumble. Often those best catered for are the most difficult to please. For the next Test the club officials will be wise to give the closest possible attention to opening early gates for patrons.