The temple city of Bhubaneswar presented an exiting crowd response to the Champions Trophy in the last two days. Probably, Champions Trophy did not go this grand in the recent years.
With hoarding donning the host city, ticket counters thronged by fans, full packed stands on either side, music and lights to boot across stands, hockey was at its best in terms of quality of fare dished out on the turf and the kind of response it got from the stands.
The atmosphere and the environ in which the teams played in the last two days have been great, a good turn around for the sport of field hockey, which is still a family-game in most part of the world.
Fans, this time most paid, enjoyed every bit of hockey especially in the second session, wherein two matches were played. The weekend has been great so far.
It was nice to see families and youngsters make up bulk of the crowd, which is a new trend in Indian sports and newer thing to hockey except of course Chandigarh centre.
The affluent young –thanks to economic liberalization and boom — is willing to spend on ticket unlike the conservative old for whom complimentary ticket is honour, right and prestige.
Organizers here boost of tickets going like hot cake. Though it may not be the case for morning sessions.
Hockey in Bhubaneswar saw in sync with changing attitude and response, as is the case in leading sports in India like cricket and football.
For a change, after quite a lot of time, heard hockey being talked about by people sitting next desk in a hotel!
Further, a rickshaw driver was telling India should not have lost to Germany, and this is really a good thing for hockey, as it has penetrated to every fans base.
The problem here, when hockey is being talked about and is much publicized, paying public and fans expect Indian team to do well.
Hockey will not see re-emergence without home successes.
Many old faces hockey, coaches and umpires were seen the other day making video of stands which was full of mobile hand sets with flash on, and making videos of Indian team marching on to the turf.
The spectacle is seen to be believed.
But at the same time, the same crowd started melting midway through fourth quarter, as India gave up leads quicker than it struck against Argentina.
Paying public going away midway is really a disturbing sight, and warning signals for those who administer the sport to national fame.
India, as a nation, may have seen still worst performances on home soils, but BBSR is a new centre, which showed great response to hockey.
It is sometimes easy to create a new fan base, but not easy to keep it and grow.
Indian hockey at this juncture is quite at this crucial phase.
Its here we have to concede that Indian national team has let down.
India has spent huge money in hosting the prestigious event, and the Odhisa Government left no stone unturned to host it in a grand way.
Indian national team is really under pressure to deliver. If they can do, it will be good. It will go a long way in keeping new hockey mass tune and stay with hockey.
Now Indian sports fan has many options, with each month new League being announced and carried out successfully.
Its time India does at least a Melbourne.
Will they?
Its a million dollar question