The Hindu : Sport : The new world of fan-dom

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 16, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Sports : General

The new world of fan-dom

It is the decent supporter that pays for the sins of his more boisterous counterpart, writes Rohit Brijnath

Welcome to the new world of fan-dom. Where the fellow next to you in an Italian football stadium is wielding a steel bar and is ready to give you a rapid education in exploding a flare.

Where that bunch of yahoos in front of you at the one-day cricket in Australia waste perfectly good beer by hurling it in the air, and all over you, during Mexican Waves.

Chances are, this is not the experience most spectators had in mind when they bought a ticket.

Yet, in Italy, officials are castigated for insisting clubs play in empty stadiums till security is upgraded, and, in Australia, officials are criticised for taking the "fun'' out of cricket by banning the Wave.

One year in a stadium in Italy a moped was burnt in the stands. Last fortnight a device exploded in a policeman's face killing him. Salutes that would have pleased Mussolini are not unusual. Racist hooting at black players is not uncommon. Offensive banners are draped across terraces.

Match-fixing recently infected some famous clubs, yet tough penalities were watered down on appeal.

Now ranked No.1 by FIFA, Italy is only the best in football.

Not a showcase for the best of football.

Two years ago in Italy, clubs were told to upgrade their security arrangements, like turnstiles at entrances and closed-circuit security cameras. Two years later 25 clubs have not complied. Now the same clubs, and some fans, are crying foul since they have been forced to play in empty stadiums.

Declining attendance

As it is, attendances have declined in the Serie A, to an average below 20,000. Serious fans do not care for exploding bombs, nor families keen on flares lighting up beside their children.

As always it is the decent supporter that pays for the sins of his more boisterous counterpart. The game needs to protect the discerning customer; instead some clubs reportedly hand tickets to hardcore fans to create what might be loosely termed as atmosphere.

Football means so much to so many people, a distraction and devotion of the workingman across the globe. The game ignites fine passions, but it also becomes, as in Italy, the grotesque theatre of the politically affiliated mob. Furthermore, loyalty to club has become an excuse for all manner of excess.

This beautiful game can be an ugly business.

Trickier situation

In Australia, the situation is less threatening yet trickier.

The Mexican Wave was once an expression of collective enthusiasm. Then it turned boring. Now it disrupts the viewing experience.

Viewing sport is an individual experience, though these days it is fashionable for large groups to travel together, bellow the same inane chants, and often completely ignore the opposition. Surely appreciation is spontaneous and cannot be scripted.

Nevertheless, for many, watching is still deeply personal, for we all are moved by different players and varying arts.

Some fans are expressive as others sit quiet like Buddhas.

Conversations break out and strangers turn into allies. Few better times are to be had.

But when one fan's idea of fun impinges on another's, boundaries are crossed. And it is precious when some fans say Australian cricket officialdom is leaching the joy out of watching by ejecting Mexican wavers. Presumably they think it is acceptable to throw rubbish, cups (filled with beer, occasionally urine) and once apparently a billiard ball into the air and onto fellow spectators.

Of course, beer is sold in stadiums by one of cricket's major sponsors, whose advertisement features David Boon, around whom a bingeing legend has grown. You cannot fuel louts and then wonder why their behaviour is foolish. Expecting all to be responsible drinkers is disingenuous.

A changing world has brought an altered fan. Perhaps in a 100-channel-flicking, low-boredom-threshold, reality-show universe some spectators want constant entertainment and, if necessary, provided by them. Once fans went to stadiums to watch a show; now some want to be the show.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport