Cricket at the Olympics? No-ball!
Roar Guru By shanebrien, 17 May 2012 shanebrien is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- bcci, commonwealth games, Cricket, IPL, Steve Waugh
There is strong support building for cricket’s inclusion in 2020 Olympic Games, but is it the best way to globalise the game?
Ideally, if cricket were to be introduced within the 2020 games schedule, T20 would seemingly be the best fit. The main reason pitched for the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics is that it will globalise the game.
However, should the ICC create a market for cricket in places like the USA and China by playing at the Olympics, or do you first try to make the citizens of those countries more aware of the game so there is then a demand for it at Olympic level?
Perhaps a more realistic approach would be to expand the IPL format, including franchises in places like USA, Japan, China and Europe.
That way, an opportunity is created for an increased audience for cricket on television in those regions while also fast-tracking the development of young homegrown players who could eventually go on to play in a competitive national team.
Some will argue that the cricketing schedule is crammed enough as it is and making space for participation at an Olympics might affect lucrative television deals.
I imagine India would be reluctant to do anything that might interfere with their beloved Indian Premier League.
There’s no doubt Twenty20 is the way to globalise the game, but that cause will not be helped if, as in all likelihood, only the eight major cricket nations qualify to play at the Olympics.
Former Australian cricket captain, Steve Waugh has been a strong supporter of the inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games, citing, “the incredibly good feeling he experienced while competing in the 1998 Commonwealth Games” but is this reason enough to include cricket in the 2020 Games?
While it’s a great personal memory, the involvement of cricket in the Commonwealth Games did nothing to move the game forward. I suggest if the game were to be included in the 2020 Olympic Games, the impact would be just as minimal.
As early as last month, reports suggested that cricket was to be re-introduced back in to the Commonwealth Games – in the 2018 Commonwealth Games which are to be held on the Gold Coast.
Cricket was played for the only time at a Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998 where South Africa beat Australia in the final of a 50-over event, which featured 16 teams.
It makes sense to be in the Commonwealth Games, but cricket in the Olympic Games won’t happen in this lifetime.
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- Explore:
- bcci, commonwealth games, Cricket, IPL, Steve Waugh
May 17th 2012 @ 5:16am
peeeko said | May 17th 2012 @ 5:16am | Report comment
i also woldnt conclude that Olympic inclusion means a huge increase in popularity globally. there are plenty of olympic sports that the world doesnt care about
May 17th 2012 @ 5:42am
Mark Roth said | May 17th 2012 @ 5:42am | Report comment
While there are plenty of sports in the Olympics that people everywhere couldn’t care less about, putting a sport in the Olympics might do something–at least in the States. In the US below the professional ranks comes college sports–seemingly every university in the country sees itself as a sporting club first and an educational institute second. And there not all athletics are equal–basketball and football are kings and bring in millions (yes, millions) of dollars a year for the biggest schools. Below the “revenue sports,” as they are called, comes the “Olympic Sports.” Maybe I am wrong, but that sounds like the universities sponsor them so the university can bring in money by advertising their alumni at the Olympics. When rugby became an Olympic sport, the amount of attention paid to it seemingly went up at the university level and on NBC TV where it was suddenly broadcast simply because it was an Olympic sport.
Would cricket’s visibility in the US grow if it became an Olympic sport? Maybe or maybe not. Would it grow if it did not–I would be shocked.
May 17th 2012 @ 6:26am
ManInBlack said | May 17th 2012 @ 6:26am | Report comment
I reckon that if Rugby 7s can be in the Olympics – then surely Cricket T20 or the like can be there too.
Although – perhaps niether should be there.
Perhaps – we need ‘amateur’ sport.
Aust Footy 9s at the Olympics – - with Australia unable to compete. Okay – an extreme suggestion – but, the point is that the professionals have enough opportunities. Is the Olympics about growing games in China and the USofA as a marketing exercise on behalf of individual sports??
May 17th 2012 @ 9:13am
Ian Whitchurch said | May 17th 2012 @ 9:13am | Report comment
Until Cricket shows it gives a damn about the Associates it’s got, theres little point to introducing more small countries for the big countries to ignore.
Whats Australia’s record against Scotland, the Netherlands or Ireland for example, and they drop in next door every couple of years.
May 17th 2012 @ 9:15am
Fivehole said | May 17th 2012 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Baseball is probably the easiest to draw an analogy too, and they got rid of that.
May 17th 2012 @ 4:33pm
Cameron said | May 17th 2012 @ 4:33pm | Report comment
Having watched some MLB games lately, I have concluded that T20 cricket esp is far more exciting.
May 17th 2012 @ 9:29am
jamesb said | May 17th 2012 @ 9:29am | Report comment
even if Cricket was at the Olympics, would it still get the coverage. Probably not.
The olympics is a chance for other sports to shine like Diving, Field Hockey, Athletics, Swimming, Equestrian etc. These sports are not on our radar week in, week out, rather we only see these sports at their best every 4 years.
Whilst I love cricket, when the Olympics are on, I prefer watching the ‘traditional” Olympic sports.
May 17th 2012 @ 9:33am
Michael Fahey said | May 17th 2012 @ 9:33am | Report comment
Shane,
I thought specific sports needed to be played on a majority of continents and a majority of counties – plus both by men and women for even consideration into Olympics. Do you know the actual criteria? If these participation requirements are in place than I guess a discussion about it is hypothetical.
I would imagine cricket is “ïsloated” to Commonwealth Counties – hence the reason why it was in Commonwealth Games. Rugby however is the other world game…so readmission into Olympics was easier. PS I think cricket was in one of the early Olympics..maybe Paris 1900,,,
regards Michael
May 17th 2012 @ 9:46am
shanebrien said | May 17th 2012 @ 9:46am | Report comment
Hi Michael,
Cricket received Olympic “recognition status” in 2007 which now means that they can take part in IOC events. The game can now bid to join the 2020 games. Having said this, the ICC currently has no imminent plans to have the format included.
If they choose to bid, the game will face a stiff battle from other sports to become part of the programme.
You were correct in saying Cricket was part of the 1900 Olympics in Paris and has not appeared since.
May 17th 2012 @ 12:09pm
renegadez said | May 17th 2012 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
16 teams
4 pools of 4
3 pool games for each team i.e. 24 pool games
Only needs 1 stadium that has 4 games a day (Game 1 11am, Game 2, 2pm, Game 3 5pm, Game 4 8pm)
Pool rounds therefore last 6 days but could be spread over a 6 day period to allow teams a 1 day break between pool games (i.e. D1-G1, D2-Brk, D3-G2, D4-Brk, D5-G3, B6-Brk… last pool games held on Day 6)
Top 8 – 4 games – Day 8
Top 4 – 2 games – Day 10
Final – 1 game – Day 12
May 17th 2012 @ 1:21pm
Dopey said | May 17th 2012 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
A quick point of fact:
The Olympic Program for 2020 has been set by the IOC. The IOC will be reviewing it’s sport program for the 2024 Olympic Games after Rio 2016.
A quick point of Opinion:
Cricket doesn’t have a snow flake’s hope in hell of making the Olympic Program. The IOC has already raised concerns over the cost of hosting the Games and the fact that cricket needs a purpose-built facility (as opposed to one that can be shared by sports – such as Rugby, Soccer and Athletics) means that its inclusion would present a cost burden on Host Cities that the IOC simply won’t swallow. That said, given the already crowded international cricket calendar, I don’t think the ICC are clambering to see cricket included in the Olympics.
May 17th 2012 @ 3:09pm
Brian said | May 17th 2012 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
The ICC is crazy not to pursue Olympic inclusion. The IOC for their part could be convinced by the increased Indian TV right that could be garnished.
Cricket in the Olympics is free advertising in place like Canada where people have probably heard of cricket and never seen a game. The Olympics would give them that opportunity. I suspect many Australians are more familiar with Handball than Canadian Football only because the former is an Olympic Sport.