Being an avid cricket fan at the University of Birmingham, I decided to purchase the full student membership for Edgbaston for the 2022 season. With the County Championship season kicking off last week, I was finally able to use the membership to watch day three of Warwickshire vs Surrey. It was an absolute pleasure and joy to go, and here are my initial thoughts on this membership option.
Admission
The season pass offers free entry to every County Championship, Royal London One Day, and Vitality Blast fixture at Edgbaston, apart from knockout matches. This is an eye-watering amount of cricket. Furthermore, the membership allows entry into any of the stands. This means that you can follow the sun through the day, or move to the Hollies if it looks particularly lively.
With Warwickshire being in the first division, and reigning champions, in the County Championship, there is always good cricket on show at Edgbaston. Despite the match against Surrey being somewhat of a bore-draw, seeing talent like Kemar Roach and Ben Foakes on show was a great experience nonetheless. In addition, walking into the match with just my membership card made it feel free, which is always a bonus.
As the Royal One Day Cup and Vitality Blast have not kicked off yet for 2022, I have not had the chance to go to one of these events yet. Both competitions promise to be captivating, however, and I cannot wait for later in the summer when I will be able to watch white-ball cricket in the sunshine.
Benefits of the Edgbaston Membership
One of the main benefits of being a member is having access to the Tom Dollery lounge. The lounge features ample tables and chairs for spectators inside, as well as exclusive seating in the stands right behind the bowler’s arm at the pavilion end. It is a very nice space, and one that could definitely be used as a study space, with some entertainment on show during well-earned breaks. The lounge also has its own bar, which was being amply utilised throughout the day. It being a cricket club, however, means that being a student member will make you one of the younger spectators.
To add to the lounge having its own bar, the membership grants a 10% discount on food, drink and merchandise. Being a student, any discount is a welcome bonus, and over the course of a season the savings from this discount would definitely add up.
The Edgbaston membership also allows for four guest tickets to use throughout the season. This means that if friends are visiting from other universities, it is a cheap day out for you and a couple of friends.
Is the Edgbaston Membership worth the money?
The student membership for Edgbaston comes in at £80, which I believe is reasonable given the number of benefits it offers. Of course, it depends on how much cricket you are likely to attend as to whether this will be worth your money.
For the Vitality Blast match against Northants in May, tickets are currently on sale for £13, which is an early-bird discounted rate. Therefore, it is only worth paying for the membership if you plan to watch reasonably often. That being said, the additional benefits, like the four free guest tickets, certainly raise the value of the membership in comparison with paying for individual tickets.
Overall, therefore, the membership is certainly worth it for me. I bought my membership along with a friend, which I think would be a good idea for anyone considering it, as then we are more likely to go more often. The additional benefits are pretty generous in my opinion, and the other members that I have encountered so far have been lovely to chat to. I would definitely recommend this membership to cricket fans, and I will definitely be renewing my membership in 2023!