In what many felt would be a precursor to a possible finals or semi-finals match-up, the India-England match in the Cricket World Cup 2011 (CWC 2011) would have captured the attention of the global cricket audience, along with ticket-holders from across the world, and especially Kolkata. And then, Eden Gardens was declared unfit and unready for the February 27th fixture?sparking heated debates. Forget for one moment that this is an embarrassment or a national outrage or that pride and egos have been shattered. This is a huge monetary loss for the ICC, its sponsors, the broadcasters, the BCCI, and the CAB among others.
This does not even begin to quantify the disastrous implication that such a move would have for the other stakeholders?especially the fans. Cancelled tickets, inability to purchase travel tickets or accommodation for the alternate venue city, security and preparedness of the back-up venue city: these are all seemingly minor, but logistically nightmarish scenarios. Signage, branding, local sponsorship tie-ups, and city specific collateral events that may have been activated are also jeopardised when a venue is declared unfit.
Many felt this would happen during the Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 (CWG), and the reality is that it was a distinct possibility. That it hasn?t happened at too many other sports events in India thus far is more a question of luck than design. At least in cricket, India has alternative venues. If this was any other sport, we would be afforded no such luxury.
Perhaps this is why Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the sports domain should be looked at seriously. Upgrading, maintaining, and preserving sports infrastructure is part and parcel of sports management. There need to be stakeholders who ensure that the facilities have accountability, quality, and timeline parameters. There is obviously a viability gap between the stadiums and global norms for sports infrastructure. India now needs to exhibit the ability to maintain, maximise and optimise its brand new facilities and stadiums.
The management, operation, and exploitation of revenue streams from events and collateral activities related to the stadia must be the focus of future use. And how India is perceived in the aftermath of CWG 2010, or as the year 2011 emerges, will for the most part determine how successful we are in future bids over the next two decades. India has caught the attention of the forces behind the three most significant events in the world of sports?CWG, CWC 2011, and IPL IV.
And one should remember that CWC 2011 is India?s shot at showcasing its potential to host global events, more so than CWG. The CWC 2011 incorporates the entire nations?similar in many ways to the FIFA World Cup. With India in the mix for possibly hosting an Olympics and/or the FIFA World Cup in the next twenty-odd years, the CWC needs to be India?s calling card, along with the IPL?s fourth season.
It?s imperative that the CWC 2011 is successfully organised and conducted. Keeping in mind that it could well determine the future of ODIs in the scheme of international cricket, it?s more or less the last stand against the inevitability of T20s taking over. From revenues and branding standpoint, the stars were aligned for this to be marquee event. With the Indian team?s legitimacy established at the top rung of Test and ODI cricket, and this likely being Sachin?s final CWC appearance, the storybook ending?s script has already been copyrighted.
ICC should be lauded for taking a stand, and bringing professionalism to event management and organisation in the context of CWC 2011. Perhaps the milestones could have been more closely looked at, and perhaps the gauntlet could have fallen a year earlier, but the fact remains that a stadium that is unprepared is not only an embarrassment, but also a safety hazard, and a liability minefield. This is reflective of the somewhat disorganised state of affairs that India finds itself in when it comes to the management of events and of pin-pointing the responsible stakeholders for macro and micro level tasks. There seem to have been few lessons learnt when it comes to preparedness even post the CWG, but the ICC is well-suited and equipped to take this decision, perilous though the road trodden may be.
Eden Gardens was a legacy in the same ilk as the UK?s Lords & Old Trafford, New York?s Madison Square Gardens, or even the Rose Bowl in Pasadena?the list is endless. But the fact remains that such a situation- where the legacy stadium in the nation?s most popular sport is unfit to host a CWC 2011 fixture featuring the two favourites, has no precedents. Not even the CWG during its darkest moments. In the gardens of Eden, it appears that the forbidden fruit turned out to be the sweetest for Bangalore?s Chinnaswamy Stadium. Out with tradition and legend, and in with reality. This should be a wake-up call for all such proposed sports events across the country. And that by itself may be a blessing in disguise for Indian sports as we enter the arena for hosting global sports events.
?The author is a sports attorney with J. Sagar Associates. Views are personal