Sorrow of Football in India

Indian Football: dying to get attention

I might be termed a cynic after you finish reading this, but the overwhelming issue at large here is the over-popularization of cricket by the Indian media, which sadly comes at the expense of the downfall of other sports in the country. An issue that has been large for too long which has often involved fans and bureaucrats pointing fingers at each other, the real culprit who has escaped the stick often is the Indian media itself. It is true that the media is a money-making industry that intends to turn a profit out of covering the best news in the world. But the matter that escapes everyone’s attention is that the media also holds the responsibility of popularizing the lesser known sports to a greater extent, given that it holds the power to do so. After all, “with great power comes great responsibility.”

While popularizing cricket and other major sporting events like English and European football is certainly good for sports as a whole, it certainly puts down the other sports like hockey, Indian football. While Ranji Trophy and other domestic cricket tournaments are broadcasted and reported in detail in the country, one wonders why not the Santosh trophy and I- League games? When the football tournaments are not telecasted in India why don’t the media atleast help in reporting them in detail? These are questions which can be answered only by the media. It is a little hypocritical though to report widely on European football and put down the country’s very own I-league, giving it very little coverage.

Thus it very clear that media too is responsible for the poor state of India football. It is only when the media realizes the chip on its shoulders and provides good coverage to the local sports in the country can hockey and football really grow in this cricket mad nation. When we see several pages of writing allotted for reporting cricket news, controversies and trivia, a page or a half for the other sports does not sound a big deal. What was saddening recently was to see the amount of coverage given to the FIFA World Cup while the AFC Asia Cup, which India qualified for after 25 years was not considered on the same scale, despite the overwhelming importance of the tournament for the country’s sporting calibre.

The popularity of cricket has been increased by the media to such a big extent that even if u ask a 10 year old child, he or she will name you at least 5 to 6 Indian and overseas cricketers but ask a 30 year old guy, the only footballer’s name he can roll out will only be Baichung Bhutia . Same is the case with Indian football clubs. Not many would be able to name a few without counting on Google. Popularity and coverage by the media is the only way for taking Indian sports forward. If the media does not wake up to face this fact and realize its responsibility soon enough, it will remain to be a hypocritical medium. It’s amazing how the very same writers who make a name out of writing pieces demeaning the poor quality of football and other sports in the country are the very people who would turn their backs on reporting on the sports they put down. This situation must change for good, else there can be no redemption.