World Series Hockey: A logistic wonder that hockey never before witnessed

‘Even Cameras will be problem, you know. I don’t know how they are going to manage the show’. This was how a World Series Hockey insider confided to me with a lot concern writ large on his face.

When this gentleman expressed this concern hardly 10, 12 days were left for the now successfully ongoing WSH was to hit on the turf — and on the screens — and their rivals were still busy planting stories and sorties on ‘another postponement’, even mocking at the whole WSH exercise.

“With three (State) elections going on, even getting cameras will be problem’, he went on to reason.

Not many would disagree the WSH would entail less logistics than on a mammoth scale.

Eight venues, all floodlight, each day two Live telecasts from different venues, sometimes from as far as 2000 plus kilometers apart, shifting one lot of team to other venue to play back to back matches, and non-stop matches and Live telecasts for 34 days with only three rest days in between. At the same time take care that every team progresses with equal matches so that league interest is lost sight of. And the same equality exist with respect to venues as well: Delhi and Mumbai hosted so far six matches; Pune and Chennai four each, Bangalore and Chandigarh five each. Only Bhopal and Jalandhar either falling or exceeding this proportional hosting.

One stadium belongs to Central Government, one to a private hockey body, some directly to State government and some others to its agencies; involving interaction and co-operation between so many agencies to get things done each day and also coming out of bureaucratic maze for which we Indians are masters.

Even the enemies of WSH would agree how huge the task was, and is.

Simply put, it is a logistical cauldron and nightmare if not dealt and handled properly, and on time, by proven high end professionals.

Now turn back to March 3, the fourth day of WSH.

Three matches were held, and telecast, on that day. Sher-e-Punjab Vs Karnataka Lions, Chennai Cheetahs Vs Chandigarh Comets and Pune Strykers Vs Delhi Wizards. That means six out of eight teams were on action on that day, involving three different venues – Jalandhar, Chandigarh and Delhi. Viewers would not have come to know the nuances, as they got to see high class match for about six hours without break, and in three different settings.

Another feature of WSH is all the matches had the benefit of video referral, the like of which even Commonwealth Games missed out, could not provide owing to high costs.

We know hockey for long. We are aware of hockey’s sorry state of affairs insofar as Live telecast of matches are concerned. Firstly, none of the international Test series that take place across the globe, are ever telecast, barring occasional India-Pak ones that comes once in a decade. Secondly, even most international tournaments right from miniscule Baltic Cup to mega Azlan Shah Cups do not attract channels.

Against the backdrop of ‘amateur’ sport hockey’s profile, a high end Live telecast of two matches on each day for a month plus duration is simply unbelievable, and is right now happening next doors.

Even the high end events like World Cup and Olympics, there will be no telecast if some matches are held on the second pitch located next to the main turf, or in the same complex or same city.

Usually generous Indian national telecaster, Doordarsan, turned blind eye to some of the 2007 Asia Cup matches from YMCA grounds in Chennai, refusing to move away from main MRK Stadium located in the heart of city. That was the fate of Asian Hockey Federation’s prestigious baby, winners of which normally qualify for the World Cup!

It is easy for somebody to berate others effort to save their own skins, for the sake of ego; for the hockey lovers and fans, what WSH achieved is something huge in proportion, that has the portends of mutational impact on the evolutionary history of the sport, that can metamorphose the lovely but lonely sport with mass and professionalism.

That’s why we, sitting at home, is habituated to witness hockey in the nights, before and after dinner and that includes holidays and Sundays.

That is not the end of the story.

As never before happened, every team is put up in top notch hotels, each umpire and official is given single room, another high in hockey world.

Therefore no surprise nobody involved in the whole exercise, officials or players give no less than their best, creating a new genre of spectacle recalled WSH.

The Bridgestone World Series Hockey has really bridged many unknowns in hockey to lift it another plank.

WSH’s rival and challenger HI promised public its own league this year end.

Against such a mammoth accomplishment of WSH that it will not be easy for anyone to surpass and surmount the bench mark that had been painstakingly set up by the Nimbus, the engines, engineers and financiers of WSH.

That so far no matches started a minute late, nowhere the floodlight went off even for a minute – the floodlights went off for 45 minute before the Asia Cup final at Bangkok – no referral took more than the expected time, is a proof the WSH is driven minutely by professional excellence.

With a result, we have witnessed 40 matches in the last 22 days, out of which 17 of them were won on single goal margin.

When the players match the organizers’ enthusiasm on the turf, the symphony it oozes is something delightful.