If any confirmation was needed that test match cricket is finished as a spectator sport in Pakistan it was given today in Lahore. If we can’t get a few people to turn up in an India/Pakistan game it isn’t going to happen against anyone else.
I now pronounce Pakistan as the lousiest supporters of test matches in the game. Forget the excuses about heat, the trend’s been the same for the last 24 months no matter who the opposition. If the West Indians can turn up to watch their joke of a team it’s pretty shameful that our lot don’t seem interested unless it’s a ODI. The last decent crowd I saw for a test match was in Peshawar against Bangladesh.
I agree. Karachi crowds have always been pretty supportive and it's a shame we won't get to see how they would have matched up to the apathetic public in Punjab. And I say that as a Punjabi. I thought Lahore might have proved those of us who were pessimistic of a decent turnout wrong today, but no, they were a big letdown. Shame this game wasn't played in Karachi or Peshawar where the occasion would have got the support it deserved.
I totally agree.Pakistanis are totally not into TEST cricket. I have never seen such a low crowd attendance in TEST matches. But I am still tryin to get the answer to this behaviour.
It's a waste of time and money to watch the entire 5 test match.
It's better to watch the game on TV and go to the stadium for the
last day if it has an exciting finish.
India won the first test convincingly
6.. The traditional rivalry between India and Pakistan supporters is fading. You find Indians cheering wildly for Youhana's century and Pakistanis furling Indian flags when Sachin Tendulkar returns to stadium 194 not out. You find a lot of Indian and Pakistani flags stitched together. If India and Pakistan keep playing test matches and one day like this the atmosphere will be totally different. You will find Pakistani flags in Wankhede stadium with Pakistani visitors in thousands. The thrill of India-Pakistan match will be gone with this peace thing.
This is the first time in Pakistan that hawkers are making business even selling Indian flags. Previously most Indian flags were used for burning in protest only.
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*Originally posted by imran dhanji: *
Couple of Reasons I could think of:
ODI were played before the Test Matches.
** Well It happens many times in many other countries. How does crowd attendance will vary because of this. **
India won the One Day Series.
** Hum.....so..... Do you think whenever a home team loses in ODI people dont go to see test matches**
It's a waste of time and money to watch the entire 5 test match.
** Is it waste of time and money only in Pakistan or any other place. If this was the rason I will see less crowd in those countries where employment rate is low**
It's better to watch the game on TV and go to the stadium for the last day if it has an exciting finish.
** So is true for ODIs **
India won the first test convincingly
** And how would you explain poor attendance in first test itself **
6.. The traditional rivalry between India and Pakistan supporters is fading.
** This is Balony **
IMO, one reason is that people finally realize that they just can’t take ridiculous amounts of time off school, work etc to follow this longest of games. Also, Pak team’s performance hasn’t helped the morale either.
I thank God for the first one. To follow a match, you go watch the game for five days and obviously waste five working days. Then you lose the game, so you spend two more days recuperating. If you win, take off a day to celebrate. So, you’ve wasted slightly more than a work week on just ONE game. And if some general sahib feels like further insulting the intelligence of the nation, he will declare a holiday to celebrate this great feat and also quell any sense of self and political and civic responsibility from growing among the Pakistani people.
if this is indeed the reason, I say this is great and only points to a brighter, more responsible future. :k:
i am not sure i will answer your question but i can tell you what i have seen, observed and lately heard from different people. Pakistani used to go to watch test matches in a decent number till early 90s...i myself used to go and watch test matches with many of my friends in late 80s and early 90s... In my humble opinion, there are 2 reasons for suc h a major decline in test matces attendance..
Minor Reason:
1) you have to understand that in india and pakistan there is no real sports cultre.......No one cares about sports like we do in america i.e Denver Broncos, Dallas cowboys, Ice hockey, lA lakers , Cubs blah blah blah and the list goes on....Top of that, the economic pressure is mounting up day by day and poor people dont have time as well as resources for fun.You may think it is not a valid reason but trust me it has a big role to play.Now dont compare pakistan situation with countries like austrlia, nz, SA , england, WI and even zimbawe . I have included WI in this list for a reason. I know that people in WI are not that rich but in WI people are crazy about sports. as a matter of fact in all of the countries mentioned above there is a different cultre when it comes to sports...In these countries if you dont have passion for a certain sports ( just like in america), you will find urself pretty aloof.....If you dont go to a hockey game or a soccer game or any any other major game once in a while, you will be considerd as a boring guy whereas in pakistan and india, THERE IS NO SUCH SPORTS CULTRE.....india has so many people that eventually some of them will show up in test matches.
2)Major reason:
Pakistan as a nation was stunned when match fixing scandol erupted in ealry 90s and wasim akram was found to be a major culprit...pakis used to love wasim akram after world cup 92 and he was a the hero of millions. The fact that he and some other high profiled players played with people's emotions to such an extent proved to be a disaster for pakistan cricket .I myself hated cricket for a while. I felt that i wasted my time by watching and following the sports with so mnuch passion when these *******s were selling the country's name for few dollars.... and let me also tell you that almost everyone in pakistan ( at least in punjab and lahore) truly believes that wasim akram was involved in gambling and match fixing. i personally know of many events, stories and incidents but i do not want to go into details. Those days ( mid 90s), when i used to ask my friends to go to a test match, the usual respond was " yarr akram aur malik nay satta lagaya ho gaya, hum match deikh kay kiya karany gay"....this kind of feeling spread around and top of that pakistan lost series against zim, sri lanka and australia one after other at home soil and it proved to be the last nail in coffen......You have to understand that all of these events happened one after other and slowly but gradually pakistanis as a nation became aloof when it comes to test cricket.....i guess you can understand our situation pretty well if tendulkar and dravid are found to be culprit of match fixing.....now dont compare pak situation wit hansie and south africa....you have to understand that pak and indian public has a different kind of temprament and people love their heros to death and can not imagine them doing any thing wrong...azhar also played a major role in bringing cricket popularity down in india but again azhar was not wasim akram...............
most people i have come across dont have the passion for the game, you really have to understand the subtle details to really enjoy test cricket. How can you explain players like afridi to be considered good batsmen. There are no flashy gimicks no colour pajama's and no white ball, just some very good bowlers, bowling outside the off with 4 slips and close up fielders, even spin bowling in interesting when you have close up fielders and the ball turning. Not many people will appreciate the skill of a batsman when he is just trying to keep the ball away to survive and ofcourse punishing anything loose with super timing and style, they want gang bang cricket. Other thing is the nature of our stadiums, i would rather watch a match in english summer sitting not too far from the pitch, when you can actually see and feel whats happening.
basically comes down to educating the pakistani public, i think a couple of good test series in pakistan will do that, as long as they dont make boring batting tracks.
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*Originally posted by Some1: *
This reminds me of a comment in cricinfo :
After scoring his century Yuvraj looked around for people to wave his bat to..but couldn't find anyone.
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awwww
inorder to bring the crowd into the stadium pcb should to spend some money into the stadium... they should make the stadiums where they have big screen tv in every enclosure.. may be attach headphones in every seats..so that people would wanna go to stadium watch the live match plus look at each analysis on the tv or atleast listen to it... so that they would feel exactly the same way as they feel at home balke it will be even better.... cuz u r watchin it live.. if we do this.. then i m sure it will be hard to find an empty space.. cuz if they are gettin the same thing in the stadium as they get at home who would wanna stay at home? wiasya bhi kaafi rich hia hamari awaamm so they wont mind takin off from school or work when its a test match...
trust me.. i m one of those who watch every single ball of test not just ODI.. but i never been to stadium just because you cant watch the game closely that you do at home......
plus pcb can get all the money back once they launched this new system and people started to come to stadium more and more..
and also they should set the days of test match in weekeneds.. either they start on saturday/sunday or they end in days like that..
All this stuff about match-fixing putting spectators off or Pakistanis not having a passion for sports doesn't really wash. the fact is Pakistani stadiums are always sold out for the ODIs. My view is that we don't get people going to test matches because there is no result guaranteed on any of the given days so the instant thrill factor isn't there. But this or any of the other reasons given doesn't explain why there are packed out crowds for test matches in England... a country where cricket is not the no 1 sport.
In England, spectators go for a nice day out in the sun drinking a few beers, the cricket itself is not the only attraction. So the PCB needs to look at ways of making going to a test match a good day out. Invite live performances from pop stars during the lunch break maybe. Offer reduced prices for half day sessions in the afternoon, targeting kids and families who could attend after school. Definitely the facilites and grounds need to be upgraded so that going to the matches is a pleasure, things like providing proper refreshments, shade from the sun if that's possible. Maybe have a look at matches in India to see if they are doing anything differently.
I kind of agree with Xtreme. Test matches should have the fringe benefits for the spectators. How about a circle of cheerleaders (preferably females or in some cities males) around the boundary line. They can keep people entertained in between overs or when the going gets slow.
That's not as dumb as it sounds fungo. Get a few of the PIA air hostesses handing out snacks throughout the day and the stands would be full I guarantee it.
Ok a slight exageeration but look at the Windies crowds. There's always something going on. Sometimes it's more interesting than the cricket match. We need more inventive suggestions like these to liven things up.
well one way to icrease is lowering the cost
getting kids in free
once match started after lunch 1/2 off
Sponcer trips, field trips for schools to develop interest from yong age
kids can meet their stars, get autographs etc
Basically try new stuff !
bring in a creative mind for marketting strategy !
Half time shows of bands etc.../ people will defintaely come for these events !