By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Friday 30th April 2021) — Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Pete Russell said the Federation’s decision to host all 33 games of the 2021 CPL tournament at Warner Park, Basseterre, as a fully vaccinated event is a world first for cricket and could serve as a catalyst for more people in St. Kitts and Nevis to get vaccinated. The announcement was made at a press conference on Tuesday 27th April 2021 by Sports Minister Jonel Powell, who confirmed the Federal Cabinet had approved the hosting arrangement the previous day.
“I think to have the first fully vaccinated tournament is just showing the world forward and I’m sure that this will encourage people, certainly in the Federation, to get their vaccines so that they can come and watch some great cricket,” Russell said. The first match is slated for Saturday 28th August 2021, with games running through to mid-September. The tournament will allow 50% capacity — 4,000 fans — at the 8,000-seat Warner Park. All attending fans must be fully vaccinated with an approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Powell noted that from 15 May 2021, St. Kitts and Nevis will allow patrons to attend all sporting events at 50% venue capacity, provided they are fully vaccinated. He highlighted the Federation’s strong COVID-19 track record — 44 recovered cases, no deaths, no serious illnesses — as grounds for confidence in hosting the tournament safely. The Federal Cabinet also renewed its agreement with the CPL for another five years, ensuring St. Kitts-Nevis Patriots’ continued participation and the right to host home matches. Trinidad and Tobago, which hosted CPL 2020 in a bubble without fans, earned over US$50 million from the event.