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Comment: Cricket Copies Football; Why Can’t It Be Vice Versa As Well?
At a time where you see the who’s who of cricket find their inspiration from the people’s game, it’s time that those in the Indian FA learn a thing or two from the bat and ball sport...
13-Oct-2009 7:37:10 PM
Lalit
Modi, known as the best rain maker in the history of sports globally,
kick-started the Indian Premier League (IPL) two years back with the football
leagues being his muse. Goal.com had exclusively revealed that Modi had approached
the Indian FA, along with the Japanese FA officials, with a similar plan in
football. For whatever reasons, it wasn’t paid attention to by the Indian FA!
Doesn’t surprise!
Now, it’s the Champions League cricket which is in the news for being the most commercially rewarding event as ESPN had to dish out $975 million for a 10 year exclusive deal.
“In years to come the Champions League will symbolise for cricket what the UEFA version is to football,” said Modi. Once again, it’s football which has been the source for a new concept in cricket. As they say, “Good ideas are always replicated.”
You can see the two teams coming out of the dug-out with flags and the A.R.Rahman theme song is played in the background; every bit is copied except that they forgot the kids! The fans haven’t turned out in as many numbers as in the tournament opener, but that shall take time as Modi acknowledged saying,” For a strong brand loyalty, it will take time for the Champions League. We should remember that the football leagues in Europe have a long tradition.”
While in football, the Champions League is to accommodate the top teams who already have a strong club culture; it’s the other way around in cricket, as the tournament is expected to bring back life into the domestic club structures.
Many football fans detest cricket and the bosses running it but credit must be given with the way they meticulously plan with commercial benefits and are able to pull-off ideas with success.
Other sports federations can keep whining to no end that cricket is the most followed sport in the subcontinent but that doesn’t cover their incompetence by any means.
Same Old Same Old
It must be remembered that in January last year, Bharti decided to pump in approx. $21million US to the Indian FA. A comprehensive National Football Development Programme was promised with the objective of seeing India at the World Cup.
The Bharti chief stated that the country needed a “football revolution” since the country had become “too obsessed with cricket.” As a first step of the project, an Academy was planned which hasn’t kicked-off as yet. If you would ask the people concerned, they would give you a list of problems for which the project never took off.
But does it matter in the end? It is now claimed that the land has been cleared to pave the way for the academy in Goa but are the sponsors committed as much as they were earlier? How long would it take to kick-start?
On the other hand, you have Bharti sponsoring the cricket’s Champions League, a two week affair, for a staggering approx. $36 million US. If the football authorities would have spent the money allocated wisely, today they might have attracted a few more sponsors.
But no matter how good a picture, the Indian FA might try to paint, the truth is that they haven’t been able to utilize the resources they have and it’s high time they admit.
But with Praful Patel in the role of acting president and the AIFF looking to recruit personnel in key departments-- general secretary and I-League CEO-- the future looks brighter. On the footballing side, things are on the right track under Bob Houghton having won three trophies in as many years.
Yes, I said Right Track!
Rahul Bali.
Now, it’s the Champions League cricket which is in the news for being the most commercially rewarding event as ESPN had to dish out $975 million for a 10 year exclusive deal.
“In years to come the Champions League will symbolise for cricket what the UEFA version is to football,” said Modi. Once again, it’s football which has been the source for a new concept in cricket. As they say, “Good ideas are always replicated.”
You can see the two teams coming out of the dug-out with flags and the A.R.Rahman theme song is played in the background; every bit is copied except that they forgot the kids! The fans haven’t turned out in as many numbers as in the tournament opener, but that shall take time as Modi acknowledged saying,” For a strong brand loyalty, it will take time for the Champions League. We should remember that the football leagues in Europe have a long tradition.”
While in football, the Champions League is to accommodate the top teams who already have a strong club culture; it’s the other way around in cricket, as the tournament is expected to bring back life into the domestic club structures.
Many football fans detest cricket and the bosses running it but credit must be given with the way they meticulously plan with commercial benefits and are able to pull-off ideas with success.
Other sports federations can keep whining to no end that cricket is the most followed sport in the subcontinent but that doesn’t cover their incompetence by any means.
Same Old Same Old
It must be remembered that in January last year, Bharti decided to pump in approx. $21million US to the Indian FA. A comprehensive National Football Development Programme was promised with the objective of seeing India at the World Cup.
The Bharti chief stated that the country needed a “football revolution” since the country had become “too obsessed with cricket.” As a first step of the project, an Academy was planned which hasn’t kicked-off as yet. If you would ask the people concerned, they would give you a list of problems for which the project never took off.
But does it matter in the end? It is now claimed that the land has been cleared to pave the way for the academy in Goa but are the sponsors committed as much as they were earlier? How long would it take to kick-start?
On the other hand, you have Bharti sponsoring the cricket’s Champions League, a two week affair, for a staggering approx. $36 million US. If the football authorities would have spent the money allocated wisely, today they might have attracted a few more sponsors.
But no matter how good a picture, the Indian FA might try to paint, the truth is that they haven’t been able to utilize the resources they have and it’s high time they admit.
But with Praful Patel in the role of acting president and the AIFF looking to recruit personnel in key departments-- general secretary and I-League CEO-- the future looks brighter. On the footballing side, things are on the right track under Bob Houghton having won three trophies in as many years.
Yes, I said Right Track!
Rahul Bali.
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