Sports in our lives

Sports is one of the biggest business areas now in India too. Thanks to IPL(Indian Premier League), the Indian edition of Twenty20 cricket tournament, there is a huge focus on sports. This, along with all the other sporting activities like Team India in F1, Hockey and commonwealth in India, has certainly got the common man into sports.

It was a bit difficult to imagine earlier that sports could become such a huge business. IPL, in its third edition, has added 3 more clubs and the tenders drawn were more than the existing 8 teams' bid combined together just 3 years back. You can imagine the amount of money involved. And believe me, this business is indeed profitable. If not now, surely in the near future. Else all these big names would not be putting these huge sums onto the table.

The main intention for me to start of this blog was not to talk of money, but what got me thinking on this topic was a conversation dialog from the movie Invincible. I love movies based on sports and this movie is a great watch. Anyways, in this movie, the main character's (Vince Papale) father(Frank), has the following to say to his son.

Frank Papale: You know how I used to tell you about Van Buren scoring that touchdown back in '48?
Frank Papale: Yeah, I know.
Frank Papale: I know. That touchdown got me through 30 years at that factory. Got me through all those times your mother being sick.....

Now this got me thinking about the Coca-Cola Cup and Tendulkar's Innings vs Australia at Sharjah April 98. I was wondering how many conversations would have gone to that day and that innings. How many people would have discussed that incident over and over and over ... Each time, I am sure, it would have given that warm feeling that I have now just thinking about it. This is just one such instance. Another is the 200 not out that Tendulkar made this year.

OK. Now I am talking just about Tendulkar because his are the first that come to my mind when I think about sports and bliss :). Then again there is Federer too. For sports fans, there would be numerous such incidents and events which are dear to their heart and, as Frank says, "Got me through all those times ...". The fans may not play the sport at all or anywhere as good as the players. But that does not stop them from appreciating and feeling each high or low with the team players themselves. Each of these magic moments is relived a thousand times by the fans, adding the much needed zing to their sometimes boring lives. Letting strangers share the moment and find a connection.

Thats the magic of sports. And while providing us with these, if some others are making money, so be it. A big thank you from me.

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