Let's not become emotional
The last time I had covered a football match at the Salt Lake Stadium was in September, 2011, when Lionel Messi came with the Argentina team during their international friendly against Venezuela. Covering a football match was never a pleasant one in the Indian stadia. The Calcutta venue had never been an ideal place for either the scribes or spectators — the empty floors just below the media box always remained flooded with plenty of fresh urine samples; during and after the match rowdy fans would spit or drop empty flower vases from the top. No wonder then families avoided such venues where lack of security had always been pathetic. Getting them engaged was the biggest challenge. Sport is an entertainment which AIFF and its associated state units couldn’t fathom. All they wanted was a gallery packed with Bagan- East Bengal fans. If the ISL helps stakeholders understand that the sport can comprise an afternoon or evening’s entertainment for the family, it ...