LUCKNOW, Aug. 21 -- There are few takers for the UPTwenty20 League even though the organising committee has made entry free for all, but through a booking app. This happens to be the worst response to the cash-rich league, happening for the second time in the state capital after staging its maiden edition at the home of state cricket - Kanpur - and more specifically, the Green Park Stadium, in 2023. The tournament is happening in Lucknow where the Cricket Association Lucknow (CAL) has got more than 100 clubs and 85 private cricket academies. Local boys and IPL stars like Zeeshan Ansari, Vipraj Nigam and few others are part of the six different franchises in the event, which offers Rs 1 crore to the champions side. LDA Coaching Centre chief Gopal Singh confirmed that the organisers have offered free entry to the trainees of his academy to watch the matches, involving almost every top player of the state and those from the Indians Railways. "Yes, we have been invited to watch the match, and in a day or two, LDACC trainees will be there to see their colleague and senior pro Zeeshan Ansari, a leg spinner who made his presence felt at his debut season in the IPL this year," said Gopal Singh. "It's a very good gesture of the organising committee and I feel that all cricket fans as well as budding players should go to the stadium to see live action," he added. CAL's secretary, Khalik Mukhtar Khan too feels that cricketers as well as fans should come out in huge numbers and watch all UPT20 League matches in the stadium, but said that organisers must put in extra efforts to bring fans to the stadium. "All local schools should be invited to watch the matches daily. The young fans should get snacks and water bottles free and there should be no restrictions on their entries," said Khan, adding, "It will encourage schools to send their students for the matches every day." However, he denied that the organisers officially invited the clubs and academies of Lucknow through CAL. "No, we haven't got an official invitation for the clubs or the academies," said Khan. "In fact, the entry system at the stadium isn't the best, as the security there always denies cricketers entry. Even in the past, for first-class matches too, fans were stopped at the entry gate. This isn't done, as without fans, one won't be able to promote any game," he further said. Many clubs and academy owners also aired similar sentiments, especially about the restricted entry at the stadium. "There was a huge footfall even in the Kanpur Premier League early this year where fans were allowed free entry and with free drinking water facilities. UPTwenty20 League is a baby of the UP Cricket Association (UPCA) and we expect good treatment to the fans from them," said a club owner, Murtaza Khan. People within the UPCA criticised the top management for not ensuring proper support to fans in the stadium in Lucknow. "In fact, people running the show in the UPCA have no cricketing background and a few of them belong to the catering and ticketing companies so they don't have sentiment for cricket and its fans," said a senior functionary of the UPCA on condition of anonymity. UPTwenty20 League chairman, DS Chauhan, wasn't available for comment, but UPCA's media manager, Mohd Faheem, confirmed that arrangements have been made for free entry to fans in the stadium for the UPTwenty League matches. "There is no stopping the fans at the stadium. All the galleries are open and anybody can come and see the matches, but only after collecting his or her free ticket at the entry gates. So far, no arrangements of free water etc, have been made," he added....