Going to the World Cup? Be sure to bring your life savings

NICK HOWSON AT THE OVAL: Will a pricing strategy which includes £100 champagne, £13 pizzas and £20 ties help make the tournament a great one?

You have been successful in the ticket ballot, which drew three million applications. It is a platinum level pass for a match not involving your nation. But it's fine, it's the World Cup.

Travel to the ground is sorted. To ensure you're in place in time for the start you have to get a peak-time train leaving in the early hours. Your trip to the ground requires either a taxi or another mode of public transport. That, or a long walk which many of the 10 grounds require. But it's fine, it's the World Cup.

Accommodation is booked at a questionable Airbnb 10 miles from the ground, five from the train station, where you'll be welcomed by a questionable bedspread and wafer-thin amenities. But it's fine, it's the World Cup.

An off-peak return the following day reduces your outlay slightly, but it forces you ot take two days of holiday and thwarts that family holiday you had planned. But it's fine, it's the World Cup.

WORLD CUP HUB

Granted, this is an extreme example of your typical World Cup attendee this summer. But it will not be a rare one. Organisers of major sporting events seldom remember the logical nightmare it can be trying to attending a big event.

Once inside the ground, some fans will be relieved to have made it in one piece as they will be excited by the prospect of an elite level contest. But the ordeal doesn't end there.

The ICC say as many as 200,000 tickets have been bought by fans who have never previously attended a game before. For many, the prospect of eight hours in the same place could be a daunting one, particularly if the weather takes hold.

One refuge comes via the concession and merchandise stands, which will be providing nourishment and souvenirs for 800,000 supporters this summer. And they are set to make a killing.

^{This World Cup will not be lacking in colour and noisy}

The Oval may have only been half-full for England and Afghanistan's final warm-up game, but those stands and shops will have had a flavour of the profits they can enjoy this summer.

Few places will be better populated than the bars around each of the stadia. A pint of the branded lager is priced at £5.70, but added on top is a £1 surcharge for a reusable plastic cup which is required for every drink. That can be refunded at the end of the day, but many will forgo the monstrous queues at the end of play and take them home.

Other alcoholic options include champagne, priced at £18 a glass (one bottle costs £100), wine at £30 a bottle, and an array of cocktails which will set you back £12. A pint of Pimm's meanwhile is £10. Anything softer comes at no cheaper than £2.

Such extortionate prices are also reflected at the food stalls. The hog roast stand provides a rather unedifying named 'Manwich' at £12.50. One burger van offers a bacon cheeseburger with chips and a (soft) drink at £13.50. Cheesy chips meanwhile come at £5 alone.

^{Will bar prices quell the beer snakes which accompany most days of cricket in England?}

A fish and chips combo is £12.75 while a pizza will set you back £13. By now, you will have got the picture. Come to the World Cup by all means, but be prepared to pay through the nose for the privilege.

And what about if you wanted a memento from your trip to the cricket? Some CWC branded T-shirts are available at £50 and baseball caps at £25. Even the gift shop tat is pricey, with keyrings at £5, World Cup ties at £20 and the tea towel costing £10.

Somewhat bafflingly, I was unable to find the official World Cup kit of either of the nations in action, but England's 1992-inspired effort will set you back £60 via official outlets if you order one in advance.

This World Cup will be capitalism in action. The ICC have provided affordable ticket options for some matches, particularly for children, but beyond that little care has been paid to the cost of the necessary extras. This might be central London, but fans travelling everywhere from Taunton to Chester-le-Street should be braced for a similar pricing structure.

Organisers will say the individual venues dictate the costings for most items, but the reality is they have a responsibility to the dedicated fanbase which they do not appear to be displaying. Supporters of all ages are going to be bled dry over the next six weeks. But it's fine, it's the World Cup.

^{The ICC want to attract a new batch of cricket fans this summer}

Of course, these prices are typical of most global sporting festivals, indeed also of London. But then again, most events don't aim to have the same lasting impact on the community as this year's edition.

Dave Richardson and his ICC colleagues want this tournament to engage a new wave of cricket fans by producing the best World Cup ever seen. That goal will be helped by a format which is delivering record-breaking scores and ample entertainment. In short, the cricket will take care of itself.

But great events are not always defined by the quality of the competition; they are more about how they make you feel than necessarily about the entertainment.

This summer may deliver some sights and an atmosphere never seen before at the World Cup and some classic matches - there is no doubt the organisation will be slick and security state of the art - but come mid-July, will be regarded as memorable?

Our coverage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is brought to you in association with Cricket 19, the official video game of the Ashes. Pre-order your copy now at Amazon.co.uk