Watching Champions League match in primetime on Eurosport 2 as one mate from the newsroom just asked me these days when will be the cricket again shown on television. Commentary is OK, pretty accurate and pro, guys got accustomed with the game alright. So I declare the "introducing" part done alright.
Now whether the ODI or Test forms will make their way on TV over here is another story altogether and runs into major "cricket politics" issues. ODIs I think will die a slow death, World Cup in India upcoming or not, and Test is burdened by small number of countries playing and really few great matchups and rivalries, not to mention bad and huge TV contracts all around the world which probably prohibit a TV station from a relatively minor country to invest into the product.
But the "introducing" side of things I consider done. As cricket will have some showing several times in the sporting year and will stir curiosity and even some fandom, things should be pretty much left on their own, let the baby grow, so to speak, in its rhytm.
Nothing will ever change the fact that cricket is basically a British Commonwealth game and will stay the same in eternity forever and ever amen. Still it's no longer an alien presence on the sport landscape and the club formed in the western city of Timisoara got an hour of broadcast on national television. Maybe in better financial conditions a small league will form with consistent schedules, but this, as I said before, has its due time and there's no need to rush it.
From this fan of the game and in the name of several friends watching around the country, and may I give a shout to my friend and Eurosport commentator Ioan Viorel, here's hoping the game does well and finds its well deserved spot in the world of sports. Maybe someday gets an Olympic showing. Dreams do come true, of course.
Now whether the ODI or Test forms will make their way on TV over here is another story altogether and runs into major "cricket politics" issues. ODIs I think will die a slow death, World Cup in India upcoming or not, and Test is burdened by small number of countries playing and really few great matchups and rivalries, not to mention bad and huge TV contracts all around the world which probably prohibit a TV station from a relatively minor country to invest into the product.
But the "introducing" side of things I consider done. As cricket will have some showing several times in the sporting year and will stir curiosity and even some fandom, things should be pretty much left on their own, let the baby grow, so to speak, in its rhytm.
Nothing will ever change the fact that cricket is basically a British Commonwealth game and will stay the same in eternity forever and ever amen. Still it's no longer an alien presence on the sport landscape and the club formed in the western city of Timisoara got an hour of broadcast on national television. Maybe in better financial conditions a small league will form with consistent schedules, but this, as I said before, has its due time and there's no need to rush it.
From this fan of the game and in the name of several friends watching around the country, and may I give a shout to my friend and Eurosport commentator Ioan Viorel, here's hoping the game does well and finds its well deserved spot in the world of sports. Maybe someday gets an Olympic showing. Dreams do come true, of course.
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