Suneer S. Chowdhary
Arnold
Tash Jayasinghe
Dexter
CibbuanoAshes fun police ruin heroes’ farewell
January 3rd 2007 23:46
Picture Superbowl XLI in South Florida on February 4 2007. In new changes hurried through the US Government under the guise of national security there will be no face painting as it masks the true identity of potential terrorists. No pre game BBQ parties in the car park due to the combined risk of obesity, alcoholism and the strong likelihood of all those gas bottles getting into the “wrong” hands. There will be no cheerleaders as they are a potentially bad influence on the crowd. And finally the half time show performers will be required to perform in a straight jacket to reduce the risk of any wardrobe malfunctions.
Sound far fetched? Well if you have been to the cricket during the Australian summer this over the top scenario of so called “preventative policing” and general meddling with the experience of cricket lovers at the game is exactly what you have sat through.
For most Australian cricket fans the experience of getting to the game is as much about watching the action out in the middle as it is about watching and listening to those around you. From blokes in drag to witty banners and calls from the outer cricket followers were able to feel like they could keep up with the game on the field while feeling relaxed and entertained off the field.
It is then difficult to understand why all of the sudden Cricket Australia has decided that its stadiums around the country need to resemble large scale detention centres operating under the strictest of guidelines designed to prevent any sort of unrest. Premier Morris Iemma writing to Tony Blair requesting the names of know British sporting hooligans is a symptom of the nanny police state situation that cricket fans are dealing with every time they turn up at an international match.
When will Cricket Australia understand that beer snakes and mexican waves are fun and are far more likely to keep a sun drenched and alcohol soaked crowd (smuggling is alive and well whilst ever SCG bitter is at 0.05% alcohol content) amused than some B grade disc jockey trying the morning radio style routine of trying to artificially inflate the spirits of 45,000 crowd members with innane banter followed by loud unwanted music.
Next summer it won’t be a surprise to see crowd numbers falter under the weight of over the top policing. Australia v Sri Lanka with no fun is a lot less appealing than a 5-0 whitewash to regain the Ashes. One only has to look across the Tasman to note the empty stadiums as New Zealand battle to impress their own people with an evenly pitched series with Sri Lanka to know how fickle crowds can be.
A League soccer crowds are growing yearly and the summer competition combined with a 90 minute commitment from the spectator will provide some stiff competition for cricket in coming years. Fun loving twenty somethings, sick of being labelled as walking trouble makers at the cricket because they hold a banner and an empty VB case as a hat, may feel that a two hour A league soccer match is a far more attractive proposition than being harassed by over zealous security guards at the cricket.
Cricket Australia has done some fine work in marketing the game and having full stadiums in recent times however on the biggest stage of all they may have done more harm than good to long term cricket attendances.
Sound far fetched? Well if you have been to the cricket during the Australian summer this over the top scenario of so called “preventative policing” and general meddling with the experience of cricket lovers at the game is exactly what you have sat through.
For most Australian cricket fans the experience of getting to the game is as much about watching the action out in the middle as it is about watching and listening to those around you. From blokes in drag to witty banners and calls from the outer cricket followers were able to feel like they could keep up with the game on the field while feeling relaxed and entertained off the field.
It is then difficult to understand why all of the sudden Cricket Australia has decided that its stadiums around the country need to resemble large scale detention centres operating under the strictest of guidelines designed to prevent any sort of unrest. Premier Morris Iemma writing to Tony Blair requesting the names of know British sporting hooligans is a symptom of the nanny police state situation that cricket fans are dealing with every time they turn up at an international match.
When will Cricket Australia understand that beer snakes and mexican waves are fun and are far more likely to keep a sun drenched and alcohol soaked crowd (smuggling is alive and well whilst ever SCG bitter is at 0.05% alcohol content) amused than some B grade disc jockey trying the morning radio style routine of trying to artificially inflate the spirits of 45,000 crowd members with innane banter followed by loud unwanted music.
Next summer it won’t be a surprise to see crowd numbers falter under the weight of over the top policing. Australia v Sri Lanka with no fun is a lot less appealing than a 5-0 whitewash to regain the Ashes. One only has to look across the Tasman to note the empty stadiums as New Zealand battle to impress their own people with an evenly pitched series with Sri Lanka to know how fickle crowds can be.
A League soccer crowds are growing yearly and the summer competition combined with a 90 minute commitment from the spectator will provide some stiff competition for cricket in coming years. Fun loving twenty somethings, sick of being labelled as walking trouble makers at the cricket because they hold a banner and an empty VB case as a hat, may feel that a two hour A league soccer match is a far more attractive proposition than being harassed by over zealous security guards at the cricket.
Cricket Australia has done some fine work in marketing the game and having full stadiums in recent times however on the biggest stage of all they may have done more harm than good to long term cricket attendances.
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Comment by Joe Blogg
Joe Blogg's Blog
manchesterunited
collingwoodfootballclub
As long as Australia
a) keeps winning
b) keeps playing an exciting brand of cricket
we, the punters, shall keep flocking to the temples.
Comment by Anonymous
Also the chances are that we've seen the completion of a dynasty with the current retirements so the assumption of every home series being won at a canter is perhaps not as strong as it has been for the last 10 years.
I think you are right though, A league soccer has a long way to go in terms of competing with the other established summer entertainment offered by cricket and tennis.