The Ticket Money Can’t Buy: Inside The SCG Cricket World Cup Skybox

Australia is currently duking it out with India to win the ICC Cricket World Cup semi final at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Usually the best seat in the house is one of the myriad corporate boxes — but not today. KFC and Pepsi Max have erected a “floating” restaurant 40 metres above the stadium. We just went up for a spell and the views are phenomenal. Here are the photos!

The KFC and Pepsi Max Skybox is a revolving restaurant that hangs suspended on a crane 40 metres above the SCG. Patrons are strapped into swivel chairs and are essentially floating in the air while they chow down on their fried chicken.

Unfortunately, the only way to score a ticket is via a KFC Facebook competition and the identity of all winners is checked prior to boarding. In other words, it’s impossible to buy a ticket even if you were willing to pay a scalper.

If you’re curious about what the experience is like, these photos from today’s Australia versus India match provide a pretty good view from the top.

When it’s on the ground, the KFC and Pepsi Max Skybox kind of looks like a pop-up bar ringed by swivel chairs. (Thankfully, the beverage menu was limited to soft drinks — getting plastered in the sky probably isn’t a good idea!)


Patrons are carefully strapped in prior to the ascent. The guy on safety duties (pictured left) was literally Dieter Brummer from Home & Away. I’m not sure what to make of this.


Yikes. This is only about halfway up. There is a small platform to rest your feet on but this disappears if you decide to swivel your chair. If you suffer from acrophobia, the Skybox definitely isn’t for you. The slow climb upwards feels eerily like one of those free-fall towers you find at theme parks. I cheerfully mentioned this to the lady sitting next to me. She asked me not to speak to her again.


And here we are at the top! Interestingly, the blokes on our Skybox tour were bricking it way more than their female counterparts.


The view of the SCG action was pretty great — although the constantly revolving restaurant made it difficult to see from certain vantage points. A pair of binoculars would have been ideal.

Naturally, guests are also treated to free KFC and Pepsi while atop the Skybox. Hurrah!


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