BRINGING HOME THE GALLERIES

EVEN AS WE RUE THE ABSENCE OF FANS FROM STADIUMS AROUND THE WORLD, SPORTS ADMINISTRATORS AND BROADCASTERS ARE BUSY DREAMING UP A RICHER ENGAGEMENT

- BORIA MAJUMDAR AND SOUVIK NAHA

IT WAS IN EARLY 2020, history might record, that spectator sports across the world changed irrevocably. As the world reeled from the coronavirus pandemic and our outdoor life abruptly shrank with the lockdown, as the pervasive fear of infection took hold of our psyche and keeping physical distance became the new social code to live by in public spaces, sports understandably took a backseat.

But there was too much at stake for the world of sports, and when it became apparent that in the foreseeable future, the world would have to find ways to ‘live with the virus’, sports administrators, too, prodded by necessity, began to dream of reinvention. More on that presently, but as countries start easing lockdown restrictions, we’ll likely witness a resumption of sports calendars at scale.

On May 17, the Government of India announced the reopening of stadiums and sports facilities. Athletes can now practise, and the new mindset suggests that tournaments might also resume soon, even if matches play to empty stadiums. There is a serious possibility that the IPL (Indian Premier League) will return in October as the World T20 in Australia gets postponed. Senior officials in Cricket Australia do not wish to take the risk of holding an international event involving 16 participating nations. They would rather host the lucrative Indian tour, which is expected to fetch Cricket Australia, the country’s cricket administrator, $300 million. The logic is clear: rather than playing host to teams from 16 countries, Australia would prefer the relatively controlled setting of a bilateral competition with India, where it might have to host no more than 100-120 people, including players, broadcasters and media personnel.