The Punjab government on Tuesday announced cash rewards of Rs1 million for javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, weightlifter Talha Talib and mountaineer Shehroz Kashif for their recent stellar performances at the global level.
Nadeem missed out on an Olympic medal and finished fifth in the javelin throw event at the Tokyo Olympics, but the athlete from Mian Chunnu received wide acclaim back home for his achievement with little resources at his disposal.
Similarly, 21-year-old weightlifter Talha Talib from Gujranwala took part in the 67kg category in the Tokyo Olympics and held the gold medal spot until the final round before eventually being bumped down and finishing fifth in the competition. However, he was widely hailed in the country for his effort.
Kashif, 19, had on July 27 become the youngest person to reach the summit of K2. The world’s second-highest peak at a height of 8,611 metres (28,251 foot) above sea level, with the aid of bottled oxygen.
Hailing the athletes for their remarkable gains, Punjab Sports Minister Rai Taimur Khan Bhatti said the nation watched the Tokyo Olympics with zeal, while Pakistan’s participants Nadeem and Talib “did really well” in the competition.
Addressing a press conference, Bhatti said he would personally visit the airport to receive Nadeem. The minister said that the Government of Punjab had always supported and encouraged sports persons.
He also announced an award of Rs0.5m for Nadeem’s coach.
The minister further said the Punjab government would bear travel expenses of Haider Ali and Nabila Baig, who will take part in the Paralympic Games.
Pakistan contingent’s chef-de-mission to the Tokyo Olympics Brig Zaheer Akhtar expressed his displeasure over missing a golden opportunity of winning a medal that could have been a Gold even, as highly talented Arshad Nadeem was capable of touching the 90-meter mark, had he and his coach stayed focused on achieving the ultimate goal prior to the finals, reports Abdul Mohi Shah for The News.
“Nonstop social media usage by Arshad and his coach in between the qualifying and final rounds turned out to be the main reason behind this failure,” said Brig Zaheer.
Talking to The News from Tokyo, Brig Zaheer said Arshad looked set to topple even the best as he gave an early indication of his talent during the qualifying round.
“When he sent javelin to over 85 meters in the qualifying round, Indian coach who trained the Gold medalist Chopra was on record to have said that Arshad was the biggest threat to his athlete, having all the potential to win even Gold. Such was the impact of his qualifying round performance where he hardly put his full effort and yet he reached over 85. The Indian camp was wary of Arshad and his potential.”
Brig Zaheer said despite clear instructions, both Arshad and his coach Fayyaz Bokhari were seen using social media uninterruptedly. Later, it was learnt that they even sent premature videos back home halfway into the competition, which “surely was an act of total indiscipline”.
The contingent’s chef-de-mission said he had absolutely no doubt in Arshad’s inborn talent.
“His coach was even talking on the telephone when finals were going on but I don’t know to whom he was talking to. That is the reason why Arshad did not know that time was running out for his final throw. His half-hearted last attempt was made in haste. With J Vetter already out, it should have been a direct contest between Arshad and Chopra for a Gold medal. Sadly that could not happen more due to Arshad and his coach’s excessive use of social media in between the qualifying round and finals.”
Malala Yousafzai encourages girls to pick up a cricket bat and ball, tostop thinking and just try it.
Malala, known for her activism for women empowerment and education, urged young women to believe in themselves.
In an interview with Sky Sports, she stated that women should never be discouraged from playing sports on the basis of their gender.
“I want to tell all girls, try it, and if you enjoy it, go for it. We are there to support you.”
Noble Peace prize winner @Malala Yousafzai had some glowing words of encouragement for any girls thinking of picking up a cricket bat and ball pic.twitter.com/R0b1BpSpLv
“Even today, when we see women cricket players playing in this stadium, they are sending a message to all girls out there that they can be in sports, they can be players, they can play any sport they want,” Malala stated in the video interview.
She added that we already have multiple women role models who are changing history and sports are no exception.
Malala expressed hope that we don’t limit women from dreaming – she encouraged girls to give it a try and “go for it” if they enjoy it.
The Noble Peace prize winner is known for human rights advocacy, especially the education of women and children in her native Swat Valley, where the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan had at times, banned girls from attending school.
Pakistan’s struggles with the middle-order were laid bare in Harare as the team slumped to a 19-run defeat, with Zimbabwe bowling them out for 99. Wobbles in the middle order have been a worry for much of Pakistan’s tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe, but the side had, by and large, escaped paying for it until now.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam was sufficiently alarmed by Pakistan’s showing with the bat to warn solutions had to be found swiftly, with time running out before this year’s T20 World Cup.
Taking to Twitter, Malik thrashed the management, saying: “Unacquainted decision makers need to take a step back; Babar and Chief Selector [Mohammad Wasim] need to call the shots. In my opinion, we need an international white-ball coach who understands cricket inside out and grooms our captain whilst giving clarity to our players for coming time.”
The cricketer further said: “When your management relies on likes and dislikes especially when your cricket is just in surviving mode, then what else do expect as a nation?”
“On top of that when you don’t let your captain take decisions this is bound to happen,” he added.
…when your management relies on likes & dislikes especially when your cricket is just in surviving mode, then what else do expect as a nation? On top of that when you don’t let your captain take decisions this is bound to happen… #Cricket#Pakistan
In the post-match presentation ceremony, Azam said: “It’s a very painful performance. In South Africa, we had chased down 200; similarly here, we should have won this game comfortably. But unfortunately, we played poor cricket and continued to struggle in the middle order. Today, it was not just the middle order, but our batsmen right through couldn’t perform the way we expect them to. It was a collective collapse and we lost as a group. But credit to Zimbabwe who came back so strongly today.”
Azam refused to make excuses for the defeat. “The wicket was similar to the other day but it was suitable [for batters] and that is not an excuse anyway. As a professional, you adapt to every condition but I think we as openers didn’t give a good start from the top and then our middle order was struggling to step up. The World T20 is closing in and we have to sort this out as soon as possible. The next game we will come back and make a good combination.”
Meanwhile, there has been no official reaction from the PCB to Malik’s tweets yet, but as the fallout from Pakistan’s defeat grows, there are signs a man who made his debut in 1999 may yet be relevant to them in 2021.
Zimbabwe beat Pakistan for the first time in T20I cricket in their 16th attempt, registering their first T20I win at home since 2016. The three-match series is currently level at 1-1, with the final game being played on Sunday.
While Pakistan former speedster Shoaib Akhtar said: “Vulnerability of middle order badly exposed. Batsmen couldn’t tackle slow wicket. Embarrasing defeat. Have to come back stronger in the 3rd match.”
Vulnerability of middle order badly exposed. Batsmen couldn’t tackle slow wicket. Embarrasing defeat. Have to come back stronger in the 3rd match.
Earlier, former captain of the Pakistan cricket team Shahid Afridi had also raised the middle-order crisis in Pakistan Cricket Team.
While congratulating the Pakistani team on winning the T20I against South Africa, he emphasised the need to work on middle-order performances.
“Despite the victory, we need to review the middle-order performances where we seem to be struggling for a long time,” wrote the former all-rounder on Twitter.
He also suggested that since it is the T20 World Cup year, the team should consider bringing Malik back.
Pakistan National Women Football Team captain Hajra Khan has urged President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan to resolve issues pertaining to the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).
In a video message, Khan said: “Today I speak in utmost sadness that the Pakistan Football Federation was suspended today for the second time in the last five years.”
“I speak on behalf of all those football players, whose hard earned bread came from the sport. It came from representing Pakistan. We’ve worked hard, blood and sweat, to represent this country and we’ve taken it to the podium, we’ve won championships in the past,” said Khan.
“Where do we go next? What is next for us? What sport do we switch to? Who do we rely on? Where do we express our love for the country, how do we do it,” she questioned.
Requesting the President and Prime Minister, Khan said: “Today I request the President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the matter. There is still hope and we are expecting a response from you two. We expect the country to back us when we need them the most right now.”
“It is a request, it might not be humble anymore, but it is a request. It is a need, it is a representation from all football players and again, it all relies on you,” she added.
FIFA suspends Pakistan Football Federation after “recent hostile takeover of the PFF head office in Pakistan.”
Reiterating her point, Khan in the caption said: “Players have all been affected roughly. Football as a sport has been ridiculed over time in Pakistan.”
“Who’s answerable,” she questioned.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has said that they are “surprised” by the ban, expressing that the decision was taken in “haste.”
PSB director-general Col (retd) Asif Zaman while talking to The News, said that Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr Fehmida Mirza had requested patience during her press conference held a couple of days back.
“We were not expecting such a hasty decision from the football’s governing body. It has shocked us as the game of football will be the ultimate sufferer after such a decision. The minister had assured her help for resolving the issue in the best interest of the game,” said Col Zaman, adding: “Though the government does not want any interference, for the sake of the game’s future we wanted an amicable settlement of the issue.”
Zaman said he was expecting FIFA to carry out a detailed and thorough review of the prevailing situation.
“We were taken by surprise by this hasty decision that I feel would serve no good to the future of the game. We were expecting a rational review of the situation by the game’s governing body before imposing a suspension on the PFF,” said the DG.
The FIFA in a handout issued on Wednesday said the decision to suspend Pakistan was prompted by the recent takeover of the PFF’s Headquarters in Lahore by a group of protesters and an alleged decision by certain individuals to remove the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee of the PFF led by Haroon Malik and to hand over the leadership of the PFF to Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah.
When PFF president Ashfaq Shah was approached in Islamabad where he was nursing his minor surgery, he said he was disappointed by the decision like any other Pakistani.
In 2009, Khan was selected in the Pakistan national team for the 2010 South Asian Games in Dhaka, Bangladesh. After Khan’s participation at this event, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) selected her for a FIFA women’s football coaching course in Colombo, Sri Lanka. In December 2010, she played in the inaugural SAFF Women’s Championship, helping Pakistan reach the semi-final.
21 year old Hajra Khan made history for Pakistani national women football team when she invited to top three German football clubs SGS Essen, FSV Gütersloh 2009 and VfL Sindelfingen to play, she spent three weeks there and played preseason trials. Being a Pakistani international footballer that opportunity was an important milestone in her career, she said.
She was the first Pakistani women footballer to sign an international contract in 2014 with Sun Hotels & Resorts Football Club to play in the Maldives National Women’s league.
With the FIFA ban looming over the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Mahira Khan and Yumna Zaidi have extended their support for Pakistan’s Women football team, requesting the authorities to resolve the women footballers’ issues.
“Sports are essential to a society to remain healthy [and] provide us with the heroes we so desperately need to look up to and represent our country,” said Yumna, sharing her thoughts on the matter.
Urging authorities to listen to the girl’s appeals, Yumna further said: “At present, the current Pakistan women’s football team seems to be going through a host of issues and I want to appeal to whoever is listening, please help them we need this.”
“We need them to shine,” she asserted.
Sharing a video of Hajra Khan on Instagram stories, Mahira wrote: “Respect the game!!! Respect the players!!”
In a step that could be seen as players’ and teams’ vote of no confidence against Ashfaq Shah, the players of Karachi United and Highlanders Football Club have announced their decision to withdraw from the ongoing National Women Football Championship after the Ashfaq-led-group refused to hand over Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) offices back to the normalisation committee.
While Ashfaq group’s act may lead Pakistan to a suspension from FIFA, both clubs say that they do not support the incidents that took place at PFF last weekend and have decided not to play under the Ashfaq-led setup in protest.
Karachi United FC, which was scheduled to play against WAPDA Thursday morning in the semifinal, posted their decision on the club’s social media page, saying that given the prevailing circumstances and based on the decision of players, Karachi United has decided to withdraw its women’s team from the National Championship.
The statement added that while the team had played its quarter final “under protest” and for purely football reasons, it had hoped that the matter would be resolved.
“Since the FIFA deadline has passed and no corrective action has been taken, the team is left with no option but to withdraw from the competition,” the club said.
“Being a football organisation, we feel that footballers and teams should never have to be put in such situations to make such choices as players and teams just want to play,” they added.
Karachi United further appealed to the FIFA, AFC, NC and all stakeholders to urgently resolve this issue to avoid Pakistan from being suspended.
BREAKING: Karachi United have decided to pull out of the National Women’s Football Championship which is now being organised without the PFF Normalisation Committee.
Islamabad-based Highlanders football club said in the statement that following the recent development in PFF, it has decided not to participate in NWFC any further.
“We do not support any act that brings football into disrepute because we believe that no individual is bigger than the game. However, the integrity of game should be maintained at all levels,” the club said in a statement.
“We, the Highlanders club, believe that this is in best interest of Pakistan football,” the statement posted on club’s social media accounts said.
Highlanders Women Football Club was playing its first national women championship and they proved themselves as one of the contenders to win the Trophy. They were scheduled to play against Masha United in the semi final on Thursday.
“We travelled from Islamabad to Karachi with a dream to do well on football field and to win the national women football championship. We are proud of Highlanders’ performance in the tournament and I believe that we made the statement that we wanted to,” the club said.
BREAKING: Highlanders FC become the second club to pull out of the National Women’s Football Championship which is now being organised without the PFF Normalisation Committee.
Earlier, six footballers from different teams had announced to boycott the championship ahead of the quarter final matches.
Later Masha United, which was one of the semi-finalists, “become the third team to withdraw from the ongoing National Women’s Football Championship which lost its official status after PFF NC was ousted. Only WAPDA left now and probably get declared champion”, announced FPDC on Twitter.
Masha United become the third team to withdraw from the ongoing National Women’s Football Championship which lost its official status after PFF NC was ousted.
Hajra Khan, Khadija Kazmi, Sarah Ali, Mashal Hussain, Maria Khan and Zahra Shah had issued a issued a joint statement on Tuesday, saying “the integrity of game is being challenged by politicised governance, adding that “we, too, are responsible for upholding the integrity of the game.”
The Pakistani footballers say FIFA ban would destroy their careers.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab, Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti had addressed the issue, saying: “Pakistan Football Federation’s decision to play a role in the dispute, the parties are being contacted. The suspension of Pakistan’s membership by FIFA will bring the country into disrepute in the international arena. A positive solution to the conflict will come out soon.”
پاکستان فٹ بال فیڈریشن کے تنازعہ پر کردار ادا کرنے کا فیصلہ،فریقین سے رابطہ کیا جارہا ہے۔فیفا کی جانب سے پاکستان کی رکنیت معطل ہونے سے عالمی سطح پر ملک کی بدنامی ہوگی۔بحیثیت حکومت ملک میں فٹ بال کے فروغ اور سہولیات کی فراہمی کا کام کررہے ہیں۔جلد تنازعہ کا مثبت حل نکلے گا۔
The Sports Board of Punjab (SBP) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have reportedly agreed to build a five-star hotel at Nishtar Park Sports Complex, near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The decision was reportedly taken in a meeting presided by Director General Adnan Arshad Aulakh at the National Hockey Stadium on Thursday.
According to details, PCB’s Senior General Manager Admin Col (retd) Ashfaq Ahmed, Consultant Abdul Ghafoor Bhatti, Director Admin Javed Chohan and other officials were also part of the meeting, which discussed the construction of a hotel, a High-Performance Centre and other issues related to the Lahore Regional Cricket Association (LRCA) ground.
Addressing the meeting, Aulakh said: “Several world-class sports facilities have been provided in Nishtar Park Sports Complex and many international sports players used to visit here for sports events quite frequently.”
“In such a situation, a five-star hotel is badly needed here. The security issue of international teams will also be resolved after the construction of a world-class hotel which will also provide a complete residence facility to world sports stars.”
“In this way, the authorities won’t need to block the traffic and other roads for the security of foreign sports teams,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that sporting events in the city often block all major traffic routes after authorities cordon off roads for security purposes. The construction of a hotel near the stadium will help solve traffic problems in the city.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has postponed the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to rising COVID-19 cases among players and officials involved in the tournament.
As many as seven players and one support staff official have tested positive for the virus which led to question marks over PCB’s bio-secure bubble arrangements and reservations from foreign players. Quetta Gladiators’ Tom Banton and Islamabad United’s Fawad Ahmed and Lewis Gregory were among the players who tested positive.
Following the increase in cases, international players were also given the option to leave for their home countries with Karachi Kings’ Dan Christian expected to be the first to leave today.
PCB also issued a press release on social media which reads: “Following a meeting with the team owners and considering the health and wellbeing of all participants is paramount, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to postpone the HBL Pakistan Super League 6 with immediate effect. The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition, which had started on February 20.”
“The PCB, as an immediate step, will focus on the safe and secure passage of all participants, and arrange repeat PCR tests, vaccines and isolation facilities to the six participating sides,” it added.
HBL PSL 6 POSTPONED
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan, Director – Commercial and Babar Hamid, will hold a media conference at the National Stadium at 3pm to provide further updates.
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan and Director – Commercial Babar Hamid will hold a media conference at the National Stadium in Karachi at 3pm today to provide further updates.
Meanwhile, Hassan Ali, Shadab Khan, Ravi Bopara and Mohammad Hafeez expressed their disappointment over the latest developments.
While, Faheem Ashraf took to Twitter and wrote: “O Muslims, despair is disbelief. Indeed, in every deed of Allah, there is good.”
اے مُسلمانوں مایوسی کفر ہے۔بیشک میر ے اللّہ پاک کے ہر کام میں بہتری ہے۔
— Faheem Ashraf رانا فہیم اشرف (@iFaheemAshraf) March 4, 2021
Later, in the press conference, Wasim said: “To make any bio-secure bubble successful, it needs partnership and sacrifice from everyone,” he said. “It is not about the blame game right now. There are a lot of emotions at the moment. Franchises have invested a lot of money and I know that there will be reactions from different sectors.
“But as I said before, to make any bio-secure bubble, everyone needs to be on the same page, that’s how we managed to conduct a successful domestic season. I understand why they [franchise owners] are saying things like these but it is not about the blame game, its about Pakistan cricket and it’s welfare. It is not the time to fight right now. It is time to accept collective responsibility.”
Wasim further said that his own proposal was to postpone the event for five days, continue testing but the franchises rejected the idea.
“My own proposal was to postpone the tournament for five days and see where it goes,” he said. “But the franchises made it clear that the players are anxious and not in the mental state to continue with the tournament.”
Wasim also reiterated that the SOP’s were shared with the franchises before the competition but no bio-secure bubble can be successful without self-policing.
“The protocols were shared with the franchises on February 18,” he said. “We are not sure where or how the players contracted coronavirus. You cannot make any bio-secure bubble successful without self-policing.”
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Test Cricketer of the year 2020, Mohammad Rizwan, has been promoted to Category A of PCB’s Central Contract List 2020-21 following stellar performances across all formats in the ongoing season. In the elite category, the 28-year-old has now joined Pakistan captain Babar Azam, former captain Azhar Ali and star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Since the current central contracts were announced on May 13, 2020, Rizwan is Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in Tests with 529 runs in seven matches at an average of 52.90, while he is overall the third leading run-scorer in T20Is with 325 runs at an average of 65 and strike-rate of just under 139. In the three ODIs against Zimbabwe, he scored 25 runs.
Behind the wickets, Rizwan has accounted for 16 batsmen in Tests, three in ODIs and eight in T20Is in the season during which Pakistan played international cricket against England, Zimbabwe, New Zealand and South Africa. Their upcoming assignments are in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
As part of its policy to acknowledge, incentivise and reward high-performing cricketers, the PCB has also elevated Fawad Alam from A+ domestic contract category to Category C of the PCB Central Contract List 2020-21, while it also offered Category C contract to T20I specialist Mohammad Hafeez, which he politely turned down.
Fawad Alam scored centuries against New Zealand and South Africa and has now aggregated 320 runs in 11 innings of six Tests. His 102 against New Zealand in the Boxing Day Test earned him the PCB Individual Performance of 2020 award.
Mohammad Rizwan has been promoted to Category A of the PCB’s Central Contract List 2020-21
PCB has also elevated Fawad Alam from A+ domestic contract category to Category C of the PCB Central Contract List 2020-21
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan while talking about the promotions said: “I want to congratulate Rizwan and Fawad for earning well-deserved and well-earned promotions. This is a reward for their hard work and high-quality performances during the difficult and challenging bio-secure environments that tested their determination, resolve, commitment, mental toughness and physical fitness to the limits.
“The decision to promote the players was made during a meeting with the Chair of the Selection Committee, Muhammad Wasim, while we were reviewing player performances in the 2020-21 season and discussing the upcoming commitments.
“It was agreed during the meeting that three players were the most deserving and outstanding performers in the season to date and, as such, they needed to be rewarded now instead of waiting for the time when PCB Central Contract List for 2021-22 will be reviewed and announced.
“However, Mohammad Hafeez declined the reward and while I am disappointed, I fully respect his decision. He wants to wait for the PCB Central Contract 2021-22 list, which he is fully entitled to. Hafeez has been one of our star performers of the season and we hope he will carry the form and momentum to Africa.
“I am sure this merit and performance-based decision will once again send out a loud and clear message to all professional cricketers that the PCB will not only recognise, appreciate and acknowledge their performances and achievements, but will also reward them so that they can strive to do better next time.”
Taking to Twitter, Alam expressed his happiness over the promotion, writing: “Alhamdulillah! Can’t thank Allah enough for always being in my favour and granting me successes. Hard work pays off indeed. Thank you PCB for elevating me to category C of the PCB’s Central Contract list 2020-21.”
Alhamdulillah! Can’t thank Allah enough for always being in my favour and granting me successes. Hard work pays off indeed. Thank you @TheRealPCB for elevating me to category C of the PCB’s Central Contract list 2020-21.
Updated PCB Men’s Central Contract List for 2020-21:
Category A: Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Babar Azam (Central Punjab), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
Category B: Abid Ali (Central Punjab), Asad Shafiq (Sindh), Haris Sohail (Balochistan), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh), Shadab Khan (Northern), Shan Masood (Southern Punjab) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan)
Category C: Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Iftikhar Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Imad Wasim (Northern), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab) and Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)
Emerging Players’ Category: Haider Ali (Northern), Haris Rauf (Northern) and Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh)
Apart from the usual coverage on CBS Sports, NFL collaborated with Nickelodeon for a kid-friendly coverage of the Wild Card round of the playoffs game between the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints on January 10, 2021. Very soon after the broadcast started, umpteen fans of different sports like hockey, baseball and basketball took to social media to point out how the governing bodies of the sports mentioned thereof need a kid-friendly broadcast to attract young generation towards sports. Barring a few exceptions, I didn’t see many people discuss whether or not the International Cricket Council (ICC) should follow suit. So, in what follows, I expound on the idea of Nickelodeonesque broadcast of cricket. First, I will look at whether the NFL’s move was a success or not. Second, I will outline how the Nickelodeon broadcast worked by breaking down how it differed from the usual broadcast. Third, I will deconstruct if this type of broadcast can materialise for cricket in the same way it did for NFL.
In terms of viewership, the Nickelodeon broadcast of Bears-Saints game was a gargantuan success. Per CBS, as many as 2 million viewers watched the Nickelodeon’s simulcast thus becoming the most-watched program on Nickelodeon in almost a demi-decade. Zoomph, a social media analytics tool, noted that the Nickelodeon stream of the Bears-Saints game generated almost $6 million in social media value. According to them, there were 73,323 tweets related to the topic on the weekend of the broadcast that garnered 402 million impressions and 2.2 million engagements.
More important, however, was the manner in which this broadcast took the world’s leading sports journalists by storm. American sportswriter Richard Deitsch, in his column for The Athletic, wrote that the Nickelodeon broadcast of Bears-Saints “was enormously different and challenging and chaotic and fun”. Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr wrote that the broadcast was a revelation for him and stripping the game of all its self-importance and hubris was an absolute delight.
For those who don’t follow NFL or missed the game, let’s take a look at how the Nickelodeon broadcast was different from the usual one. There were slime cannons sprayed at the player whenever any touchdown was scored, match scores and statistics emblazoned on the field were done in eye-catching colours like bright orange, lime green and purple supplemented with players having googly eyes, hamburger hats and characters like SpongeBob and Patrick Star also popped up on the screen to capture the viewers’ attention. On top of all these, Iain Armitage, who starred as Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom Young Sheldon, was at the helm to explain penalties and other rules of the game in an easy-to-understand manner. Kids, for whom the simulcast was designed for, admired the fun-themed broadcast. Keith Smith, writer at Yahoo Sports, RealGM and CelticsBlog, tweeted that when he asked his daughter about what she likes about the Nickelodeon broadcast, she replied: “They’re explaining it. Like, in a way I can understand it as a kid. And these graphics are cool!”. Former American football quarterback Kurt Warner heaped praise on Nick for the playoff’s simulcast.
“My son loves @Nickelodeon but has never sat and watched a football game with me UNTIL today… I appreciate Nick introducing our kids to the game in a fun & entertaining way!”, he tweeted.
Much to the delight of those who found the simulcast appealing, Sean McManus, CBS Sports chairman, said that they’ll be looking to do similar broadcasts in the future with other Viacom platforms such as MTV, VH1 and BET.
It might seem churlish to say so but when it comes to innovation and being at par with other top sports of the world, the game of cricket is an also-ran. As we saw when the idea of reducing Test matches to four days in order to increase the viewership numbers of Test cricket was tossed around, it invited criticism from a large number of traditionalists notorious for clinging to the age-old archaic rules. For a similar reason, ICC has attempted time and again to get cricket inducted into the Olympics to be at par with the other sports and solve its viewership conundrum but all of its attempts have been in vain.
Although every aspect of this simulcast was amazing but one thing that stood out for me and must be there in cricket is that Young Sheldon part. If you scour through the Marylebone Cricket Club’s (MCC) website, it is tough for a common man to wrap his head around the plethora of rules listed there. Many argue that in the Subcontinent, cricket runs in their blood. However, that is simply watching the game, not completely understanding it. Understanding the game, and I cannot emphasize this enough, is different from simply watching it just like studying a book is different from reading it. To trigger interest in those who do not watch cricket or to ensure that those who watch, their interest does not fade out, ICC needs to inject fun in the game because today’s generation needs fun in everything to escape the worldly chaos and sports is no exception. Also, who (apart from traditionalists) wouldn’t like batsmen or bowlers getting slimed after scoring a hundred or taking a fifer or animated characters popping to explain the situation of the game?
