On March 23, Eden Gardens was a spectacle. Kolkata’s home ground roared back to life with a sold-out crowd, a dazzling IPL 2025 opening ceremony, and Shah Rukh Khan waving to the fans — all marking the grand return of the IPL after a year’s break. KKR’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) felt like a celebration. But since then, the energy has evaporated.
In their subsequent home matches, the ground that once echoed with passion has looked eerily quiet. During the KKR vs SRH match on April 3, fans were shocked to see rows of empty seats during the toss. The visuals from today’s clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR) are no different.
Eden Gardens: Ticket prices leave fans out in cold
The drop in attendance hasn’t gone unnoticed, and fans are pointing fingers — not at the players, but at the ticket counters. Many on social media claim that ticket prices have soared beyond reason. Seats that once cost ₹900 are now priced at ₹3,500. For a city where cricket has always been the sport of the masses, this steep hike has alienated everyday fans.
No Iyer, no icon?
There’s also a growing sense of disconnect. Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to an IPL title and became the face of the franchise, was surprisingly let go before the season. With no uber-mega Indian star in the squad now, some fans feel their emotional link to the team has been severed.
High price bro..Last time 900 ticket price & same ticket this year is 3500 rs
— Cricket Lover
(@PradipMsd7) May 4, 2025
KKR is a diff beast when it comes to playing at an empty Eden Gardens
— Karanveer Singh (@karan_nandre) May 4, 2025
A lot of empty seats at the Eden Gardens.Not the first time this season but definitely a rare sight in all these seasons.#KKRvsRR
— Dinesh here
(@dinesh_offl_06) May 4, 2025
Eden Gardens details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1864 |
| Capacity | Around 63,000 |
| Ends | High Court End, Pavilion End |
| Location | Kolkata, India |
| Home to | Bengal, Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Curator | Probir Mukherjee |
The post Shreyas Iyer effect? Eden Gardens goes from ‘sold out’ to ’empty’ for KKR homes matches in IPL 2025 appeared first on Inside Sport India.