THE OLD time view of sports as mostly fun and games has all but vanished in this new millennium. At the highest levels of cricket, football, and track and field, for example, most of the players are professional, playing the game for a living.
And at this level, the paying customers turn out in sufficient numbers to make sport big business and therefore subject to economic control, not just by sporting associations, but by government.
Hence, Prime Minister Patterson himself plays a major role to bid for a piece of the pie represented by the Cricket World Cup slated for the Caribbean region in 2007. The millions to be spent preparing for that spectacle is investment to be recouped by the throng of cricket fans expected to follow the competition involving teams from 16 countries playing 51 games. The visitors will be cricket fans in essence but also tourists needing accommodation and recreation. The potential economic impact is significant.
To prove the point, in the recent one-day series between England and the West Indies, rain washed out three of the matches in Trinidad and Grenada causing a loss of more than US$500,000 that was refunded to fans.
Quality of play is also important, for the fans want not only entertainment but also their money's worth. The current performance of the Windies, now ranked eighth in the world after more than a decade of dominance, is bemoaned across the region. Tony Becca, reporting for this newspaper, said that all through the recent series with England at every venue English fans outnumbered locals. Yet despite defeat in the Test series, a jampacked stadium in Antigua watched Lara's record-breaking 400 not out in the final game.
In football, the Reggae Boyz still spark some hope at 'the office' as they play toward qualifying for the next World Cup in Germany. Playing well and winning is good for the national psyche and for big returns at the gates.
Track and field takes the spotlight at the National Stadium today with top international stars as the big attraction. The entertainment and the quality seems assured. And the big payoff should come in national pride and professional spin-offs coming out of the 28th Olympiad in Athens in August.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
