Diminishing Hockey Fanbase or Increased Glamour?
Fan support and media coverage for a sport often increase when the team is successful and wins trophies. But the glamour and fandom lie in Cricket where all the athletes try their luck despite no major trophies except in 1992, 2007, and 2015. Despite a lack of victories and major trophy wins, the Bangladesh cricket team still has a dedicated fan base that supports the team.
On the other hand, hockey in Pakistan has seen a total lack of interest and it is sad and confusing that this is the case for a team that has been historically successful. In order to revitalize hockey in Pakistan, it is necessary to establish a league and increase media coverage of the sport. This may require sponsors, but some action needs to be taken to prevent the decline of hockey in the country.
The tactics used by Pakistan’s 1978 Hockey World Cup winning team inspired Argentina’s coach, Cesar Luis Menotti, to adopt them and go on to win the 1978 FIFA World Cup. Menotti even thanked Pakistan’s coach, Abdul Waheed Khan, for the help. This shows that Pakistan’s hockey team was once a global star, inspiring other sports teams. If any other country had a team like this, it would have been the subject of numerous documentaries and would have been considered one of the greatest teams of all time. However, due to Pakistan’s tendency to neglect and ignore its real heroes in favor of TikTok stars, the country has not received the respect it deserves. Instead, the country has focused on investing in cricket, which has dominated the attention of the nation since 1992.
