Sports Hub Hosting International Sports Event to Come Up in Trivandrum

Introduction

Previously, all the sports events, whether cricket or football, used to happen at Kalloor Stadium in Kochi. The sports enthusiasts used to travel to this venue in large numbers from different parts of Kerala. The sports lovers need to book the ticket in advance through online sites. Even if you get the tickets, there is no guarantee that you might get the best seats to sit and watch the matches happening in the stadium. The guys from Thirvananthapuram city are going to get a world-class facility at a place Kariyavattom, about 12 kilometres from the city. In order to bring the international-class sporting facility, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has entered into a deal with Kariyavattom Sports Facilities Ltd. (KSFL), which operates Greenfield International Stadium in Karyavattom. As a result, more international sports matches, mainly cricket matches, will come to Trivandrum. In this blog post, let us see the salient features of this sports hub and the ports events that may get hosted there.

Working Agreement

KCA has entered into an agreement with KSFL to use the Sports Hub, including the Greenfield International Stadium, to host both international and Indian Premier League (IPL) matches for 180 days in a year. This working agreement is valid till November 18, 2027. The periods in which the KCA will host international events are from October 1 to January 31 and from April 1 to May 30.  As part of the deal, KSFL will construct and curate the pitch at the Greenfield Stadium with the technical support of KCA. Once constructed, KCA has to maintain the playing area for a 11-year period. Outside the mandated use of the facility for hosting international matches, the KCA can use it for other matches by paying extra money to KSFL.  Initially, the pitches would be laid with the KCA help. This work will get completed in 45 days. After a three-month mandatory curation period, the KCA is planning to start hosting international events at the stadium.

Drop-in Pitches

KCA is planning to introduce the drop-in pitches shortly after it commences hosting matches at the stadium. With the introduction of the above said pitch, Greenfield Stadium will be the first stadium in India to get this type of pitch. Again, it will become the third stadium in the cricketing world to get the drop-in pitches outside Australia and New Zealand. This kind of pitches are normally prepared elsewhere and laid at the pre-determined place just before a match starts. The cost of making and laying the drop-in pitch is about Rs. 80 crore. Using the drop-in pitch allows the stadium authorities to use it for other sports events without affecting the pitch quality.