The lounges for this year’s IPL have been redone. Well-lit and renovated to resemble a party scene, it now has wall to wall carpets, repainted walls and ceilings complete with chandeliers. And the organisers have paid through their nose to make sure they offer value for money.
Most of these lounges have registered bulk booking from corporates, companies and the who’s who of the City. The spectators at these lounges helped themselves to unlimited booze, flaunted the funkiest of their wardrobe and made sure they made the best of what was on offer.
Metrolife spoke to a few people at these lounges and asked them why they chose the particular lounge. While comfort was key, the elaborate menu and a variety of beverages were other attractions.
The J-Corporate lounge and P2 lounge, priced at Rs 33,000 and Rs 55,000 respectively were popular with the CEOs, ministers, business tycoons and their families. The menu was extensive with food from, literally, all corners of the globe.
The dessert section had everything from hot chocolate fudge, different flavours of ice creams with a choice of nuts to varieties of Indian sweets. The E-Executive lounge, priced at Rs 4000, had a menu that was just as enticing but a little bit more restricted in terms of variety. And the N stand or the platinum lounge at Rs 2750 was the simplest.
“We have upgraded most of the stadium and the lounges are a major attraction this year. A lot of thought has gone into the food and beverage counters to make sure that only the best is served. Care has been taken to ensure that people enjoy the match in utmost comfort,” said an official with the IPL.
The lounges had young boys and girls, foreigners, families and those who had rushed from work to make it in time for the match. Leena Singh, a socialite said, “I couldn’t have asked for a better atmosphere to watch the match. And the party is complete because I am here with a big bunch of my friends. Cricketing is not boring anymore with all the glamour,” she said. Shernaz feels IPL has taken cricket beyond one’s imagination. “It has brought women into the stadium and has made the sport more interesting. This is just the right atmosphere to party,” she added.
Cheraz confessed that he’s a purist who preferred watching the World Cup and the test matches. But he thinks that the IPL has added an extra dimension to the sport. “After a hard day’s work, this is the best place to chill,” he said.
The lounges are popular with the IT and corporate crowd who made sure they wrapped up work well in time to be here for the match. Robert Kachroo, vice president Global
Technology-Capital Markets of Deutsche Bank Group said that IPL was showmanship at its best. “The energy at the stadium is infectious. We were caught in traffic and had to walk a lot to get here. I think the effort was all worth it,” said Robert.
Niranjan and Radha Krishna, both employees of AOL said they were thrilled to be there. “We are 85 of us from the office and what better way to destress than watch cricket in a party-like scene,” said Niranjan.
