Chennai crowd shows the way

Sandip G
Express News Service

CHENNAI: A cluster of teens, hockey kits dangling from their shoulders, restlessly awaited the players after the Bhopal Badshahs-Chennai Cheetahs fixture, at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium’s exit gate.

It didn’t matter whether they were acclaimed or not, blooming or faded, familiar or recognizable, they approached almost every one for an autograph.

This is a particularly rare sight in hockey, grappling to regain its lost terrains of fame, glamour and money.

Even the players were a trifle astonished by this somewhat overwhelming response. “I have seldom been asked to sign so many autographs after a single game. It’s a big motivation for all of us,” said Badshahs goalkeeper Baljit Singh.

The attention was slightly distracted by Imran Warsi’s ingress, the Cheetahs’ talisman in this campaign. In less than a month, Warsi has engraved a cult status among hockey enthusiasts of the city, courtesy the 15 goals he has buckled so far in the tournament.

This is not to say that the World Series Hockey has been a runaway success, as the vacant stand on the farend would signify. But there are sufficient signifiers that the game still holds an allure that draws a substantial crowd, who are not only the wizened faithfuls but also the twitchy youngsters. And that despite over-priced tickets, the whole crew of national players missing in action, a modest level of competence and the non-existence of marquee names.

With the exception of Delhi — where the response has been lukewarm — WSH has wooed in sizeable crowds in most other centres, so much so that Nimbus Sport CEO Yannick Colaco is a reasonably satisfied man.

“Our primary focus in the first year was to establish a brand and we have been able to achieve that. There has not been a bigger league in the country in any other sport.

Our achievement is in putting together such a massive league, with 59 matches in 34 days spread across eight venues,” he said.

But a bigger challenge would be to consolidate on this response and improve the level of the league by bring in more players in the current international loop than the retired or on-the-verge of retirement pros.