The Netherlands’ third tryst with World Cups, that too twice with men and women double, is a grand gesture. However what entices the entire hockey world is its conscious attempt to enlarge the scope of the event at The Hague.
The objective doesn’t seem to stop with successful conduct of the games, for which no doubts whatsoever exists –the Dutch has a record of immaculate organization of mega events — but now the thrust is to involve and entice as many as sections of society as possible so that its profile grow beyond known base of stake holders.
Hockey being a family sport, and amateur in character, it is struck at a level if one views it in a global perspective. Even where the sports is well entrenched, like in the Western Europe and South Eastern Asia, most chroniclers would agree, the sport draws its sustenance and survival due to particular history, culture and secluded passion of sport rather than its inherent potential of innovation, marketability and ability to embrace new generation.
The excellent outdoor advertising in particular The Hague event has undertaken, as it is visible on every part of the city, speaks the administrators’ eager to spread the game. Its more so against the fact that the tickets for the Kycenora stadium had already been a sold out, and the required levels of sponsorships have come about long ago.
Still the idea of publicising the event is a must, which is exactly what the Dutch has been doing.
Hockey has to grow beyond known bastions, and reach to new frontiers.
Hockey is one of the oldest member of the Olympic family, but that won’t ensure and endure its place in future. It had a cat’s escape recently. Unless various forms of hockey strike a responsive chord with the populace, hockey cannot survive for long.
The present World Cup is hosted on a football stadium on standby basis sends the message as to where we are. Even when India – where the sport is categorized as its National Game — hosted the World Cup in the early 80s, it was on a cricket stadium.
The message, whether one likes it or not, is that the profile of hockey doesn’t match its history, and is low. It is the situation even in the countries where it counts. Unless and until series of competitions that are worth marketable, watchable on television, and will trickle down to kinder garden kids levels, no effort should be spared by the hockey administrators.
Even The Hague, despite making significant progress on all frontiers, may at best set a bench mark for other hockey nations, but still will fall short in comparison to other emerging sports. While The KNHB deserves all acclaims, it’s a long way to go for the sport before it becomes a sport that counts in the television world, first factor for any successful sports.
Note: This article of mine was written on the request of editor, World Cup Daily, and published on the issue dated 1st June.