Your edit “Spectacle of itself” (May 30) reminded me of Commodus – the Caesar presiding over the decadent and declining Roman Empire – who, when faced with street riots over food, is famously believed to have said: “Give them entertainment!” And obliging senators promptly ensured 200 days of gladiatorial shows. The same is true for the Indian Premiere League (IPL) — the so-called biggest Indian sporting brand.
It is often said cricket and Bollywood are national obsessions. I am not too sure whether that is a complimentary remark about the nation’s character. But one thing is clear: business is not part of India, India is part of business. How else can one explain the crass pyrotechnics of IPL franchise owners and the resultant visual overkill, with cricketers reduced to sideshows? Even in terms of franchise-based sporting brands, far bigger global sporting events do not have owners making a spectacle of themselves. How many of Manchester United fans know what the Glazer family members look like? Roman Abramovich of Chelsea is just one among the spectators in the stadium. I, a Barcelona supporter, do not even know what the ownership of the club is. And it just does not matter. The same if true of basketball teams in the National Basketball Association, or NBA. In terms of valuation, these are far bigger sporting events with a wider audience than the Indian rip-offs.
Ajoy K Das Kolkata
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