West Indies Captain Kraigg Brathwaite (left) and Bangladesh interim skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz hold the Test series trophy on the eve of the two-Test series in the Caribbean. (Photo: CWI Media)
CRICKET fans in Jamaica are in for a treat as Cricket Cave director and co-founder Atishai Mansingh has announced that the fan zone will make its return for the second Test match between the West Indies and Bangladesh at Sabina Park.
This comes after a successful debut in May of this year for the West Indies-South Africa T20 series.
The second Test match between the West Indies and Bangladesh is scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 4, 2024 and fans can expect an exciting experience with the return of the fan zone, which promises to deliver an immersive and engaging experience for cricket enthusiasts.
According to Mansingh, the fan zone is designed to redefine the cricket experience in Jamaica by combining entertainment and development.
“Cricket Cave is focused on redefining cricket in Jamaica through entertainment and development. And what inspired us to create the fan zone is to focus on that entertainment component,” Mansingh explained.
Mansingh further elaborated on the concept behind the fan zone.
“We wanted to create a mixture of a party vibe with a family vibe in the stands itself, versus having an exclusive area within the stadium where it is only for adults and another area where it is adult and kids. Why not mix the two where families can come out and enjoy, with having a mixture of the party stand and having a mixture of the regular stand?” Mansingh told the Jamaica Observer.
The idea for the fan zone was also inspired by the success of the Jamaica Premier League, which has outsold Sabina Park matches due to its strong entertainment component.
“We really took components of their success and try to not recreate the exact thing — as cricket is so different from football in terms of the timing of the sport, the length and timing of the sport, and the pace of the sport — and to create its own flavour in cricket, which we did in the South Africa T20 successfully,” Mansingh said.
Mansingh said the overall objective of the fan zone is to create a memorable experience for all attendees.
“The main objective of the fan zone is to ensure that everyone that leaves, leaves with a memorable experience and [can] now attach a positive connotation not just to watching cricket but [also to] be[ing] in Sabina Park for cricket — which we haven’t seen for years,” Mansingh emphasised.
The Cricket Cave Fan Zone will be located in the upper-west north stand, which is the third level, and will have the capacity to accomodate 600 people. The fan zone will offer a range of activities and amenities including domino tournaments; bar with happy hour specials and drinks; food options; televisions showing English Premier League football matches; local DJ and after-party on Saturday (November 30); brunch options and bottomless mimosas on Sunday (December 1); and work-from-Sabina-Park set-up with free WiFi, tables, chairs, and charging ports on Monday (December 2), Tuesday (December 3), and Wednesday (December 4).
Mansingh also encouraged fans to purchase tickets for the fan zone, stating, “When people buying tickets, they should select Cricket Cave Fan Zone. The price is $1,000 for the fan zone and $800 for the regular area.”
