DesiDabba - Boss, Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jaye

Yesterday was the first of Cricket World Cup Semis, and one thing was for sure, there was no excitement whatsoever from my end, really felt like it was boring and all. No-India maybe a reason but dull presentation and fewer crowds also don’t make for a nice viewing as the crowds surely add to the TV watching experience. Also the matches have been somewhat dud this time round.

On the other side was a ManUtd-Milan Champion’s league encounter, though a big-time football fan, I have stayed away from football somehow this year. But Football has caught on with people for sure. I still remember the first Premiership match I saw, a ManUtd-Arsenal encounter in 1999-00 season with ManUtd winning 6-1 (Dwight Yorke scoring the hatrick). That was quite a start and after then I was quite hooked up with the beautiful game. People didn’t discuss football at the time, it was cricket all over and sometimes wondered what profit does ESPNSTAR make in showing such a not so popular game (in Indian context atleast).

What’s nice is that people have started taking Football seriously nowadays, and what’s shocking is that they have taken it more seriously than our National Time Pass Cricket. The effort put in by Sports Channels has been great, with the amount of advertising and complete Football package offerings (matches, reviews,shows) made by them. Couple of weeks back I went for a trek with a few college students and these people not really look up to Sachin or Dravid or Yuvi anymore, they have found new heroes in Messi, Ronaldo and Rooney.

Football for sure is game made for Television audiences, quickfast 90 minute wrap-up, great arenas and crowd add to the viewing pleasure. Then there are always the stars to lookup to. Though India is ranked some 150+ in the game and the players are not really known figures. Poor infrastructure and a pool of second grade African and South American footballers constitute our league and also the Television impetus given to it has failed miserably.

What’s important is that the growing generation of Football frenzied junta gets some Role Models in India itself whom they can look up to. Although Televised Football is popular throughout the World a good support infrastructure and a good National Team helps to build the popularity further more. Sepp Blatter’s recent visit to India was a positive intent from FIFA to build upon this popularity but our local administrators were found caught on the wrong foot again.

It’s not that we are not so great in football, we have a great history surrounding it, but players and fans and concentrated in just few pockets. Popularity of European leagues has meant the not so football friendly areas getting into the loop of Football development. Cricket is on an all time low and this is the perhaps best time for other Sports to capture the Television market. Football already has a huge piece of it, just hoping that it helps the Indian Football scene overall along with boosting it’s TRP’s.