World Cup 2023: Here`s Why There is no Opening Ceremony This Year
Updated on: 05 October, 2023 01:08 PM IST |Shreyas Pande
The ICC Men`s Cricket World Cup 2013 has started with the first match lined up on October 5 between England and New Zealand, as fans cannot wait to witness the historic tournament unfold. However, one major thing that is missing this year as the World Cup 2023 begins is the opening ceremony. Usually, it has been a tradition to start the tournament with a grand opening ceremony where many stars and celebrity singers come to perform.
Here is why the ICC and BCCI decided not to have the opening ceremony this year.
Hosting a grand opening ceremony takes a lot of planning and execution. With so many stars lined up to perform, it is a hectic task to coordinate between them all, resulting in a divided attention between the ceremony and the game. Owing to this, the cricket boards have decided to focus more on making the overall tournament happen smoothly, as that remains a major focus.
The essence of the tournament lies not in how grand the ceremony is but solely depends on the quality of matches among the teams of different countries. It is the game which unifies people across boundaries to come together and play for sheer love and passion.
Also Read: World Cup 2023: 4 Films That Capture The Spirit of The Game
Previous opening ceremonies
The opening ceremonies before were a huge deal, with major star performances catching the eye of everyone. The opening ceremony of the 2011 edition of the tournament cost around 30 million dollars, which was the highest in cricket history. It took place in Bangladesh at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, with performances by artists like Shankar Ehsan Loy, Sonu Nigam, and Bryan Adams.Similarly, in the year 2015, two ceremonies took place in New Zealand and Australia as they hosted the World Cup after 23 years. In 2019, the ceremony took place in central London, with the ICC promising that it would be the most celebrated start to the World Cup ever.
Alternative to the Opening Ceremony
This year, instead of an opening ceremony, the boards planned for a captains meeting ahead of the World Cup on October 4 at the Cricket Stadium in Ahemdabad. Even though it was not as grand as the previous years, it ensured that the focus was more on the game of cricket, presenting an opportunity for fans and media to interact with the star captains.?? ????????. ? ???? ?#CWC23 | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/ivQ0lsT9mp
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 4, 2023
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