A recent social media post has triggered a heated debate among Indian Premier League (IPL) fans regarding the high tax rates on IPL 2025 tickets. The controversy erupted after a fan shared his ticket details for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) match, revealing a shocking 70% tax burden.
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CSK vs RCB: A Costly Affair for Fans
The much-hyped CSK vs RCB clash at Chepauk Stadium ended in disappointment for CSK fans, as their team suffered a 50-run defeat while chasing 197. RCB’s victory marked their first win at Chepauk in 17 years, but for many fans, the real frustration came after the match—when they realized how much they had actually paid for their tickets.
A cricket enthusiast, Ravi Handa (@ravihanda), took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration, sharing a picture of his ticket breakdown. According to him, his ticket, originally priced at INR 2,343, ended up costing INR 4,000 after taxes.
“Tax on IPL tickets is more than 70%. A ticket of 2343.75 becomes 4000 post taxes.” – Ravi Handa
The revelation quickly went viral, sparking debates about the exorbitant taxation on IPL tickets and whether such pricing is fair to cricket fans.
BCCI’s Stand: ITAT Supports Cricket’s Growth Model
While fans are directing their frustration towards the BCCI, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) has come to the board’s defense. ITAT explained that higher costs are due to sponsorship deals and resource mobilization efforts aimed at making the league even more successful.
“Merely because a sports tournament is structured in such a manner to make it more popular, resulting in more paying sponsorships and greater mobilisation of resources, the basic character of the activity of popularising cricket is not lost.” – ITAT (via Financial Express)
Despite ITAT’s justification, fans remain divided, with many arguing that such high taxes make attending IPL matches unaffordable for the common cricket lover.
With IPL 2025 in full swing, the debate over ticket pricing and taxation continues. Will this controversy prompt a rethink on IPL ticket pricing in the future? Only time will tell.
