Delhi Capitals set to partner with DDCA and invest ₹75 crore for Arun Jaitley Stadium's maintenance
Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals (DC) is set to join forces with the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) in the upgradation and maintenance of the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The venue acts as the home stadium for the franchise across the IPL as well as the Women's Premier League (WPL).
This marks the first instance where a franchise has taken the initiative in the maintenance of a venue in the non-IPL months. The Arun Jaitley Stadium has already been assigned funds of ₹50 crore for renovation ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup, and it is set to receive additional funding worth ₹75 crore from the Delhi Capitals as well.
DC co-owner Parth Jindal and DDCA president Rohan Jaitley have reportedly held talks over the arrangement, where the priority has been set to improve the crowd experience in general.
A source told the Times of India:
"There have been discussions to set up two classy hospitality boxes in the stadium. The idea is to set up temporary boxes by the World Cup and finish the project by the next IPL. The stadium has received many complaints with regards to crowd experience during matches. DDCA and Capitals have put that as a priority."
The source added:
"Football stadiums in Europe are managed by corporates to maintain facilities for their club teams. This move will be somewhat in that direction. Now with the Women's Premier League set to be played in the home-and-away format, Capitals will need the stadium for more than just two months of IPL."
The Arun Jaitley Stadium has been assigned to host a total of five matches at the 2023 ODI World Cup. The venue will witness India's league-stage encounter against Afghanistan on October 11.
Sourav Ganguly has taken a key interest in the proceedings at the Arun Jaitely Stadium
Delhi Capitals director of cricket Sourav Ganguly also aligns with the views of the franchise in terms of its investment to upgrade the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Another factor that has been constantly brought up, even by DC skipper David Warner, is the tired nature of the pitches during the IPL.
Claiming that the Capitals management will look into the issue with the DDCA in the near future, the source stated:
"DDCA doesn't have another ground and it has to organize men and women's camps at the stadium besides organizing matches. The Capitals management will be coordinating with DDCA to manage the load on the stadium in the future."
Much like other prominent metropolitan venues like the Wankhede and the Eden Gardens, the Arun Jaitley Stadium was also not assigned any matches for Team India's 2023-24 international home season.