http://cricket.indiatimes.com/BCCI_acts_like_a_cop/articleshow/2312202.cms
Yeah - I know folks on this blog think cricket is over-rated.
However, the new India Cricket League is an idea which I hope works. The problem is not that Cricket has 'swallowed' other sports - the same can be said about NFL in America. The problem is that of hugely overpaid players who hugely under-perform. Hence people feel that it is undeserved wealth. The problem also is the geographic spread from where players emerge - look at the Indian team today. Most of the players are from the metro cities; a few from tier II towns and almost none from villages. This when an overwhelming number of people (hence potential players) reside in rural India.
The root of all this - the "John Company" monopoly model of the BCCI. Monopolies reduce qualities and exaggerate prices; they are harmful to the consumer, society and indeed even to the monpolisers in the long run. Breaking the BCCI monopoly will benefit all - most of all the players and the game.
And yes - when that happens it will be harder to include the "non-performing Nehru's" in the national team (though I personally disagree with that title for Sachin)
5 comments:
Have we planned for any Bronze medals in next year's Olympics in China, or are we supposed to just keep watching cricket?
Given the allround mediocirty thanks to 60 years of Nehruvian secular socialism we have few real heroes. So a few entertainers like cricketers and actors command all the attention while genuine heroes like a Bachendri Pal and a Sumita Mahajan (the first woman to have parajumped over the North Pole and South Pole) receive no bhaav at all. Visit Jamshedpur and you will find a pantheon of sporting heroes all thanks to the 40 year atheletic program of Tata Steel. In the space of a day you can meet about 5-10 6.5-7 foot plus basketball stars; 10-15 archers; about 15 of the finest soccer and hockey stars; a clutch of mountaineers, swimmers, and distance runners. And yes you will meet genuinely atheltic cricketers who will never wear an India cap; thankx to the benighted BCCI. I hope ICL's Twenty-Twenty based format blows away the cobwebs that hang over BCCI and much of world cricket today. Do you know a Texas millionaire is already setting up a 40-million dollar Twenty-Twenty Cricket League in the West Indies; because he thinks it is serious competition for baseball outside the US? ICL can easily set up an 8-10 team Twenty-Twenty league with a mix of Indian and International players; host 3-hour night games on Friday and Saturday evenings; and actually make some money from gate receipts. Bring the spectators back to cricket as it is already doing in England.
i just hope that this ICL-BCCI thing will be body blow to cricket in india !!Ghost writer i think ur missing the point about NFL in maerica agree the TV executives will salivate about NFL but they still produce micheal phelps tyson gray and andy roddick and blake among others !!! but look at us kapidhwaja we are not even sure about a broze medal next year when china is planning to rake in most golds ever!!! sports is never part of our psyche thats just as fact of life and not to forget cricket gives employment to guys like ramachandra guha !!
and truti the problem is spectators not the solution !!i have persoanlly seen people near mandya dist etc in rural india who are talented but these "GREAT CORPORATES " will say where are "winners " to sponsor since everybody loves a winner and say that "ahh look u finished 10th in world champinship " but our monster i.e cricket also finshed 9th out 8!! still we watch it !! sorry if i hurt any one i just feel very strongly on this i dunno ever will hear jana gana mana and tricolur flying on olympics !!
Many years back I remember Nestle used lesser known names at the time such as Leander Paes, Sania Mirza, Vinod Kambli et al as brand ambassadors for a glucose based energy product. Since then all these sportspersons became famous and played with distinction. It's time our corporates learn to spot potential and back it rather than go after stale and jaded players like Dravid and Tendulkar who will fade away into the sunset sooner than later.
Post a Comment