Ticket sales for SA20’s summer of cricket and entertainment opened in grand style in Johannesburg on Monday.
SA20 Commissioner Graeme Smith and South African music icons Sho Madjozi, Mi Casa and DJ Timo ODV showed the media and special guests in attendance how cricket and entertainment will merge to form a blockbuster inaugural SA20 League next year.
Priced between R50 and R200, fans will get to see captivating young talent like Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs and Donovan Ferreira play alongside seasoned veterans like ICC Men’s T20 World-Cup winning captain Jos Buttler, Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada. There will be free entry for kids under six with scholars and pensioners eligible for a 30% discount.
SA20 will provide a non-stop “sportainment” vibe from 10 January when Newlands hosts the opening local derby match between MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals, with Johannesburg's Wanderers Stadium due to host the grand final of the inaugural season of the 33-match tournament on 11 February.
“The momentum is building,” League Commissioner Graeme Smith said. “We have worked closely with the franchise teams to develop competitive ticket pricing where the public can attend more than one match. We invite lovers of cricket, those looking for a social day out with friends and families to all join us in January and February for a taste of SA20. It is going to be memorable.’’
Madjozi turned a standard press conference upside down when she interrupted renowned comedian Joey Rasdien and the proceedings, treating everyone to a lively music concert.
Fellow South African band MiCasa and selected DJ’s were also there to hype up the excitement as the six new SA20 franchises were showcased to the public.
“I’m so happy to be here. Cricket is a big passion of mine, and being able to merge it with my music and global franchise brands has me so excited for SA20. I can’t wait for the matches to start,” said Madjozi.
All 33 matches will be broadcast exclusively live on SuperSport in Sub Saharan Africa and Viacom18 Sports, India’s newest sports network, to India’s cricket-loving and passionate fanbase.
Fans should be on the lookout for ticket specials in the lead-up to the event, with all six venues offering limited offers to get involved in cricket’s biggest party including . the opportunity to turn fours into sixes, with ‘six for the price of four’ ticket specials running across all venues.
“Fans can look forward to quality and competitive cricket from the world-class players participating, add to that the presence of a host of newly crowned ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions including Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Sam Curran, Phil Salt and Harry Brooks, and we are set for explosive entertainment,” Smith said.
Each of the six SA20 franchises will have five home and five away matches, with games played every day, including eight double-headers spread around the country.
SA20 will be bringing a distinct flavour to the stadium experience, where cricket lovers, party people and families can gather for world class cricket. DJ’s, live musical performances, giveaways, prizes, big screens, fan cams, fun for the kids and a whole lot more packed into three hours of explosive entertainment.
SA20 tickets will go on sale from Monday, November 14. All tickets can be purchased online through the Ticketpros website.