Kerala footballers exult after winning Santosh Trophy in Kolkata on Sunday. PTIOn Sunday afternoon, I surfed sports channels in the hope of catching the live action of the Santosh Trophy final between Kerala and West Bengal. Disappointed, I then surfed through news channels, but I could find only updates as there was no live streaming of the match. Finally, I checked out DD Sports, and to my dismay, the dedicated sports channel of the country’s national broadcaster Doordarshan was showing highlights of some old games!
Soccer enthusiasts always blame cricket for the under-development of the game in India, but the aforementioned experience has taught me a lesson; we have no right to criticise cricket.
Cricket is growing in India because the game’s place in the fans’ heart is secure and inviolable. The sport’s administrators too make all efforts to promote the game and improve its popularity. Even the Ranji Trophy matches are being aired live.
The soccer aficionados in India do not enjoy such privileges. The National Football Championships for the Santosh Trophy can be termed as the ‘World Cup’ of Indian football. But it is unfortunate that not a single broadcaster was bothered to air the matches.
I had no other option than watching live streaming of the final on a Facebook page using my son’s mobile phone. To be honest, I did not get to see such a thrilling and keenly fought contest even in the recently concluded Indian Super League (ISL). Yet, I could not watch it properly. It was frustrating as the video kept buffering due to network issues during crucial moments, spoiling all the fun. I was boiling with rage when it stopped playing abruptly when the shootout was on. I was so angry that I felt like hurling the phone on the floor and crushing it into pieces!
Even when Kabaddi leagues are being properly marketed with live telecast, why do prestigious tournaments receive a step-motherly treatment? Are there people who are resolved to stop football lovers in the country from enjoying the game? Or they want only the ISL to grow? The organisers of the ISL have the expertise to market it well, but it will be foolhardy to believe that the glitzy, glamorous league would alone propel India to be a global football power and help the country qualify for the FIFA World Cup in the near future. For that to happen, we will have to ensure proper conduct of other important tournaments.
If the authorities concerned justify their stance and cite poor viewership as the reason for not telecasting the Santosh Trophy matches, football enthusiasts in the country are not going buy that theory.
(The author is a former captain of the Indian football team)
