GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Caribbean Premier League organizers say they plan to collaborate with national stakeholders in several territories to ensure young fans see 10 am games in this year’s tournament free of cost.
A media release Monday said there would be ticket giveaways to “thousands of young people” for them to attend the early matches in St Lucia, St Kitts & Nevis, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana, in the tournament, which gets underway here Wednesday.
The league said it would be working with government agencies, schools, cricket clubs, youth organizations, and foundations to ensure the availability of tickets to young fans.
“The young people of the Caribbean are the future lifeblood of our sport, and we want to ensure that we are investing in them and playing our part in helping them fall in love with our wonderful sport,” said CPL’s chief executive, Pete Russell.
“We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of young people to our 10 am games which will give them a chance to watch and enjoy some of the best cricketers from around the world and across the Caribbean.”
Regional insurance giants Guardian Life have thrown their support behind the initiative and will make tickets available through their Guardian Life Boundary Buddies scheme.
Six teams – Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, St Lucia Kings, and Trinbago Knight Riders – will contest the 11th season of the Caribbean premier Twenty20 tournament.
Tallawahs are the defending champions after beating Royals in last year’s final and will raise the curtain on this year’s showpiece with a clash against Kings at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground.