Is Cricket losing its popularity amongst India's urban youth?

[Cricket Tragic]

I've been wondering about this since my visit to an upmarket bar in India earlier this year. There was a football game on and the place was filled with engsters wearing ridiculous jerseys. I noticed several people wearing that on the streets as well. If you wear that **** (along with a tracksuit, of course) in England outside a football ground, you'd instantly be seen as a chav. At the end of the game, there was celebration, tears and several heated arguments :WTF: Talking to young people that I know (not that many), almost all of them follow the premier league and a significant proportion of them list football as their favourite sport. The viewership for EPL games has seen a staggering growth over the past decade. At the Lord's test, I was chatting with a chap who works in sports management and he said that no sport would ever become more popular than cricket since the urban youth market represents a tiny proportion but it was possible that cricket could drop down to number 2 within this market in a few years. We've got a few young people on this forum and I'd like to know what you think. Since you're a member on this forum, it's safe to assume that you follow the game closely but what about your friends and relatives? Are more people following other sports as well as cricket or are they moving away from cricket? According to what I've read on the net, cricket has seen a huge growth in recent years in India and the talk is about how people who didn't follow the game earlier are now doing so. They talk more about increase in female viewership but what about the younger generation? What are the implications for Indian cricket? Is it likely that the recent rise in the number of players from smaller towns could continue? Mods, I'd like this thread to remain on this forum since it is related to cricket but it's your call.

[panesarv]

They "feel good and superior" by following something foriegn. That's it.

[Crookbond]

Good question. In my opinion, in the metro cities cricket isn't the first sport followed. Football wins due to better marketing, shorted duration games etc.

[Cricket Tragic]

Good question. In my opinion' date=' in the metro cities cricket isn't the first sport followed. Football wins due to better marketing, shorted duration games etc.[/quote'] Amongst the younger generation though, isn't it?

[fineleg]

Amongst the younger generation though' date=' isn't it?[/quote'] Thats right CT. I've also witnessed this. Premier League soccer following has surged amongst the urban youth. I've seen this among younger relatives in the family during visits to India. They consider following soccer as a lot more trendy and upscale than cricket (especially Tests/ODIs). T20 is still supposedly 'trendy'

[Cricket Tragic]

Thats right CT. I've also witnessed this. Premier League football following has surged amongst the urban youth. I've seen this among younger relatives in the family during visits to India.

Have they completely shifted to football or do they still watch cricket as well?

[Cricket Tragic]

Thats right CT. I've also witnessed this. Premier League soccer following has surged amongst the urban youth. I've seen this among younger relatives in the family during visits to India. They consider following soccer as a lot more trendy and upscale than cricket (especially Tests/ODIs). T20 is still supposedly 'trendy'

:((

[pinkfreud]

I may be wrong here, but this is just my personal view. I don't think it's about the decline of cricket as much as it is about the increasing interest in other sports, not just football. Viewership for sports like tennis, F1, and even the NBA and golf has increased substantially over the years because of the choices we have at our disposal when it comes to sports channels. Back then, the football craze here was pretty much limited to sub cultures in Goa, Kerala, and Bengal, but it's been slowly spreading its tentacles across a certain demographic, who I think is thirsty for more than cricket and may even have 'had it' with the saturation of cricket in India. When people also hear about biggies like Sepp Blatter and various clubs (through their youth initiatives) expressing their interest in tapping India's potential, not to mention a few Indians investing in English clubs, it raises the curiosity quotient. It's natural for someone for someone to want to get 'clued in' about Premier League football after hearing so many people talk about it, just to know what all the hype is about. Even our media has been more open to covering sports other than cricket as compared to the era gone by... so it has a lot to do with the role of the media as well. I also guess many younger viewers tend to view Test cricket as a humdrum sport, and cricket bodies seem to have sensed it, owing to which T20 became the 'need of the hour'- not that I care much for that format anyway. Perhaps most viewers want something that's relatively more fast-paced and packed with adrenalin, which is something football offers. As a side note, the home-grown talent we have in other sports, like badminton and boxing, to name a few, has also contributed to an interest in games other than cricket. People like Vijender Singh, Saina Nehwal, Abhinav Bindra, etc., have all contributed to a growing interest in sports other than cricket because they have earned accolades and have opened up avenues youngsters would have when it comes to pursuing a sport of their choice.

[fineleg]

Have they completely shifted to football or do they still watch cricket as well?

They watch T20 and "semifinal/final" of Worldcup, since thats like a "big event" where ppl party, join together and watch and celebrate etc. But they dont watch regular ODI series (not as much hype as world cup) More importantly, they are not patient to watch well fought Test matches. And thats a very sad thing.

[Cricket Tragic]

F1 was pretty big in the Schumi era but it appears to have died down a fair bit. Again, it's just what I've noticed and I could be wrong.

[fineleg]

I also guess many younger viewers tend to view Test cricket as a humdrum sport.

Yes, this is a huge issue. Most stupids are yawning when they hear Test cricket, when in fact, thats where the real beauty of cricket lies.

[IKnowU]

People catching feelings over youth and the younger generation being lured to other sports :hysterical: If anything this is best thing to happen. Cricket is not the start and end of sport. Look at Australia......Cricket is probably 4th or 5th most popular sport......did that stop them from dominating the scene?

[vamos_rafa]

Fair points CT. If 23 something is termed as being young, then I am part of the youth brigade here :--D. BTW, I have been in metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai,Chennai and Bangalore. One thing that I have noticed is that the craze for BPL is simply outstanding. Maybe its the way it is marketed as I myself am not much sure about the quality of soccer played there. But, there is a lot of craze for BPL. So much so that some of them don't follow cricket to an inch and for them cricket is played only when a World Cup event is being played. I know a few who mock people calling Sachin as god but when you talk of ManU or Chelsea,their chests swell as if its their baap's jagird. I think its more to do with the fact that it sounds suave and uber cool if you are a die hard ManU fan and spend bucks in a ManU bar by spilling beer and supporting your team. But, I personally feel its to much of tamasha. Having said that, there is a lot of interest in Test Cricket as well. Post 2000, I have noticed that its the Test series that India plays, the Ashes and such high-profile series, which the urban youth follows passionately. Test Cricket does generate a lot of interest and I have seen people having many discussions on the same.

[pinkfreud]

F1 was pretty big in the Schumi era but it appears to have died down a fair bit. Again' date=' it's just what I've noticed and I could be wrong.[/quote'] That's right, but local interest seems to have been piqued here ever since Vijay Mallya established India's first ever F1 team.

[deepak_sach]

Most of my friends dont watch cricket because they say most of their stars are not playing many matches...

[pinkfreud]

I forgot to put this point across earlier: It could be possible that the impending retirements of Tendulkar, Dravid, and Laxman, and the relatively older team we have as of now could be contributing to the 'decline' as far as popularity is concerned. Maybe something along the likes of what happened in Australian cricket.

[deepak_sach]

I forgot to put this point across earlier: It could be possible that the impending retirements of Tendulkar, Dravid, and Laxman, and the relatively older team we have as of now could be contributing to the 'decline' as far as popularity is concerned. Maybe something along the likes of what happened in Australian cricket.

We call Dravid as Dokku Dravid and many switch off the TV while he is batting cause they call it boring...

[Cricket Tragic]

Fair points CT. If 23 something is termed as being young, then I am part of the youth brigade here :--D. BTW, I have been in metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai,Chennai and Bangalore. One thing that I have noticed is that the craze for BPL is simply outstanding. Maybe its the way it is marketed as I myself am not much sure about the quality of soccer played there. But, there is a lot of craze for BPL. So much so that some of them don't follow cricket to an inch and for them cricket is played only when a World Cup event is being played. I know a few who mock people calling Sachin as god but when you talk of ManU or Chelsea,their chests swell as if its their baap's jagird. I think its more to do with the fact that it sounds suave and uber cool if you are a die hard ManU fan and spend bucks in a ManU bar by spilling beer and supporting your team. But, I personally feel its to much of tamasha. Having said that, there is a lot of interest in Test Cricket as well. Post 2000, I have noticed that its the Test series that India plays, the Ashes and such high-profile series, which the urban youth follows passionately. Test Cricket does generate a lot of interest and I have seen people having many discussions on the same.

23 is young! :two_thumbs_up: Interesting point about test series. I thought that tests were the ones that people didn't really follow.

[IKnowU]

I forgot to put this point across earlier: It could be possible that the impending retirements of Tendulkar, Dravid, and Laxman, and the relatively older team we have as of now could be contributing to the 'decline' as far as popularity is concerned. Maybe something along the likes of what happened in Australian cricket.

No. People will watch regardless of the success or the stars. You have to remember competitions like EPL and NBA are wayyyyyyyyy more superior then cricket. Like it or not. The trading window, contracts, new signings, pre/off season, etc... brings a whole new dimension to the fans and what they can discuss and look forward to. Thats hardly visible in cricket.......maybe soon in IPL. But till then other competitions offer a lot of more to the fans and their relationships to their favourite team then cricket.

[vamos_rafa]

We call Dravid as Dokku Dravid and many switch off the TV while he is batting cause they call it boring...

You from south india??