Half-empty Lord’s on fourth day raises concerns for English cricket

On the fourth day of the Test match between England and Sri Lanka at Lord's, attendance was notably low, with only 7,446 tickets sold initially, leading to concerns about the future of English cricket. The upper tier of the Tavern stand was closed, and the grandstand appeared largely empty. Factors contributing to this situation included a lack of confidence in the Sri Lankan team and the timing of the match, which fell on a Sunday. Despite the low turnout, the final attendance was approximately 9,000 when walk-up sales and members were included. The pricing of tickets has also been a topic of discussion, with the lowest adult tickets priced at £80, which is comparable to prices at the Oval. Under-16s could enter for £15 on weekends, but there are concerns about the financial model of five-day Tests. The MCC acknowledged the need to review ticket pricing structures, particularly for the fourth day, as the way Test cricket is currently played may affect future sales. Other venues, such as Old Trafford, have also experienced reduced attendance, prompting discussions about potential changes in ticket pricing strategies. While the first three days of the final Test were nearly sold out, day four sales remained slow. Surrey's spokesperson indicated that they would require more data before making any adjustments to their pricing strategy. In response to the situation, Lord's offered late gate prices of £15 for adults and £5 for children, aiming to attract more spectators. The overall sentiment among cricket officials is one of caution, as they assess whether these attendance issues warrant panic or a strategic reevaluation of ticketing practices.