These are exciting times for football lovers in India. Multiple channels are broadcasting important matches from the big leagues in Europe. It’s not just the matches that keep viewers glued to their TV sets – there’s top-quality in-depth analysis from prominent football experts on offer as well. In times like these, the below-par I-League coverage is doing little (if not nothing) to lure viewers into following Indian league football on a regular basis.
As the football lovers in India get exposed to quality European football, their appreciation and understanding of the game keeps improving. The extensive coverage allows them to look beyond the field of play, into the depths of overall functioning of a club. The viewers are treated to unfathomable sights in the form of spectacular stadiums, lush green pitches and vibrant spectators. And as the ref whistles the players into action, our eyes feast on a galaxy of stars showcasing some sublime football – the beautiful game indeed.
One would inadvertently be inclined to think that this exposure to European football would, in a way, result in a crop of more educated and mature football followers. However, there’s an incessant tendency in humans to compare. They tend to pit I-League coverage against its European counterparts. And in the present scheme of things, it’s a disappointing result indeed. But let’s face it – it’s unfair to pit the two against each other in the first place. The Indian football scenario is nothing similar to that in Europe. It’s not like there’s no progress for the lack of trying. The right ingredients are just not in place yet to set the wheels in motion.
In the age of media publicity, the I-League fails miserably in its efforts to generate viewership. The quality of coverage of domestic matches is way below the high standards set by its European counterparts – and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to spot it! The immediate consequence of this great difference in quality is the creation of a class of the metaphorical ‘armchair fans’. These are the football lovers who would rather watch European football on TV than frequent the stadiums to watch their city club play sub-standard football. And there’s nothing worse for the confidence of a budding player than an empty stadium.
While the empty stadiums deal a blow to a youngster’s confidence, exposure to European football can directly lead to a greater sense of motivation in the youth. The knowledge that a good footballer can also be a crowd-darling must be a bonus for players growing up in a country where achievements in cricket always seem to eclipse those in football. To play for a global name, surrounded by greats of the game, tutored by astute tacticians – these are the kind of dreams that exposure to European football can (should) plant in the minds of the emerging footballing stars of today.
One can only hope that the football lovers and players in India will take the best out of European football coverage and help Indian football attain the heights so fondly desired. Let the support that the clubs in the West receive be motivation enough for filling up our own stadiums to support our city clubs; cheer the players on to make them believe they can challenge the rest…nay, the best!
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