THE FAST PACED hockey matches in the ongoing World Cup in New Delhi have demonstrated one thing: that such brisk action on the field, if marketed properly, has the potential of becoming something as successful as the IPL. The thrill is for a short duration (just 70 minutes), the pace is hectic, there is plenty of action in the form of penalty corners and counter-attacks, the new referral system adds another dimension to the game, the rolling substitutes ensure that fresh legs remain on the field, a green card from the referee means that the player is consigned to the sidelines for two minutes. Throw in some lissome cheerleaders and perhaps we have a complete package like the IPL.
The catch here is – and we have said this before – that Team India needs to keep winning to get in the sponsors to back this seemingly lucrative idea. Yet again the hockey team has flattered to deceive. After the high against Pakistan, has come the low against Australia. And the team is back on terra firma, so to speak. But at the same time, all is not lost. India can still beat England, Spain and South Africa and qualify for the semi-finals from their pool.
At the newly refurbished Dhyan Chand Stadium, there is chaos all around whenever India is playing. At other games, the attendance is thin and the organisers don’t seem to care. With the security issue of the teams hanging over the place like a fog, it appears the organizers actually want the attendance to remain small (Otherwise, there seems to be no reason why fans will like to miss matches involving the top hockey players of the world).
Ever since the advent and success of T20 cricket, the trend seems to be very much in favour of the abbreviated form of sport. Crowds are giving Test matches and one-day internationals the miss and are thronging the stadiums for T20 games.
Recently, in one of the ODI’s between Australia and the West Indies at the MCG (the fifth ODI) the attendance was a mere 15,538 (The MCG has a seating capacity of 100,000). And at the same venue, in the T20 clash between the same teams, the attendance was 60,054. Australian TV – Nine Network – has reported a 40 per cent drop in ODI viewership when compared to figures of last year. And the picture is equally bleak as far the Test matches are concerned.
IPL commissioner Lalit Modi – in an interview to London’s Guardian newspaper – has said that the way forward for Test cricket (if it wants to survive in the rough and tumble of modern times) is to go in for night matches as soon as possible. Because he feels (and most marketing experts agree) that during the day, people do not have that much idle time at their disposal to sit and watch Test cricket for hours together. But if the same thing is played at night, they might come to the ground after finishing their work or might watch it on TV. Night Test cricket can keep viewer interest intact to an extent and, that in turn, can keep the sponsor interest intact.
Sponsors also cannot miss the fact that fast paced hockey appears to be akin to T20 cricket. The newly-laid artificial turf for the World Cup has so far been tricky with its variable bounce. But the Indians looked to have adapted well to bounce in the opening match against Pakistan. Yes, for the moment, the Australians seem to have brought the Indian team down with a thud. But the home team has the players to spring back into contention. They need to take the loss against Australia on the chin and move on.
A podium finish in the World Cup now can be just the fillip that Indian hockey needs. Before the start of T20 cricket, nobody (not even Lalit Modi) had thought that IPL will prove to be such a big hit. But India’s unexpected title win at the inaugural T20 World Cup changed everything. A similar showing by the hockey team in New Delhi can do wonders for the revival of the sport in the country. With three league matches still to go, there is hope left for the Indian team. Can Indian hockey become a success story like the IPL? The coming few days are going to provide the answer.
