The Commodification of Sport (Or, How to Lose Your Integrity: Part 1)

Fiona Uncategorized

The Commodification of Sport (How to Lose Your Integrity: Part 1)
cricket ball

Once upon a time, I was a cricket fan. My introduction to the sport, as for so many people born in the 1950s, was through the suave tones on the radio of such commentators as Alan McGilvray, Lindsay Hassett, John Arlott, Tony Cozier … This early interest impressed my parents so much that I was taken – at the age of five – to watch the one-day match between the Southern Highlands and the inimitable West Indies in the summer of 1960-1961 at Manuka Oval. (I lasted until the luncheon break. Then my mother took me home, leaving my father to watch the rest of the match in peace.)

Cricket continued as a background to my life during the 1960s and 1970s – an exciting yet reassuringly predictable part of summer. Then came Packer’s Circus, and the move from cricket’s status as an essentially amateur but – where professional – lowly-paid sport to one where the top players suddenly received substantial rewards. With that change came, to my eyes at any rate, a change as well to the nature of the game: the gradual disappearance of “sporting” behaviour, the longevity of the top players (because of the money – after all, what other career options do most of them have after 15 plus years in the game?) to the detriment of youngsters wanting to have a go at representing their countries at the highest level – in short, the commodification of the game for the benefit of promoters and media proprietors. During the 1980s and 1990s I rapidly lost interest, and though I could generally tell you the results of a series, I rarely listened or watched any more.

Then, in the late 1990s, Adam Gilchrist erupted onto the scene. My interest in cricket was revived – not merely because he was a very good keeper (not the greatest, but still pretty damn’ fine) and an enchanting batsman, but because of the spirit in which he played the game. He walked – even when the umpire had given him not out – if he believed that he was truly out.

After delivering the 2009 Cowdery Lecture– which even cricket traditionalists may find interesting – Gilchrist, in conversation with Mark Nicholas, was asked about the time when he “walked” in the 2003 World Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka, even though the umpire had ruled in his favour. This is my transcript of Gilchrist’s explanation, which I first heard on 28 June 2009. To me this illustrates his personal integrity, which why I admire him as a cricketer, and more importantly, as a person (any errors in the transcript are my responsibility):

It’s something that I guess was ingrained early in my life. I spoke right at the start about my parents and the values and qualities that they instil in you as a person. I guess that’s what defines you and carries you through your journey of life, and for me it’s been a cricketing journey. Probably two significant moments in my career that I hadn’t really thought about until around, funnily enough, the semi-final in the World Cup in 2003 after the well-documented walking incident in that match. That was the catalyst for me to start thinking and thinking why have I got this approach.

When I was 17 I came over – had the great fortune of coming over here and playing for the Richmond Cricket Club on a scholarship. And in a match during that year when I was playing here I got a nick on one and just walked and got into the rooms and everyone said “Oh, the umpire wasn’t going to give you out. What did you come off for?” I wrote a letter to Mum and Dad and I said I was really disappointed, I shouldn’t have walked, I might have got to the 100 and so on. But my last line was, “Oh well, but at least I did the right thing.”

A couple of years later I was playing for the New South Wales 2nd Eleven in a trial match against the ACT. Got a big nick on one, got given not out and I didn’t walk, and I went on to get 100. But I tell you I felt lousy for the rest of the innings. And I went to the bowler, who was an ageing bowler about to retire from the game and I went to him and I said, “Mate, I’m so sorry about that, and I feel terrible.” And he said, “Oh, don’t worry about that. Look, I’m nearly finished, you’re on the rise, this game means much more to you than what it does to me.” And that line just sort of struck a nerve in me, sort of “At what cost does it mean that?”

And I think they are probably the defining moments that led me to play that way. But it’s never been a crusade. The greatest thing that I’ve found awkward about this whole discussion is that I feel that some people look upon people that don’t walk as being dishonest or unsporting. I very much don’t feel that way – I can accept that it’s part of the game. It’s here to stay, this issue, and do you or don’t you – it’s an individual choice.”

(my emphasis)

Gilchrist retired in 2008, and Ricky Ponting’s tenure as captain went on and on and on and on … For the last couple of years, I’ve mostly neither known nor cared when, where, or whom Australia is playing.

My lack of interest has been compounded by the promotion of betting on every possible aspect of the game. Obviously this is most observable on the commercial channels, but despite protests from many listeners even the ABC’s radio coverage has been contaminated.

Of course, cricket is not the only sport where betting has now been normalised: it occurs in all the football codes and – guess what? – one of the consequences is that match-fixing is now rife and has been described as a “disease that could kill football”.

Is it any wonder that the get-rich-quick-at-any-cost attitude that seems to be so pervasive nowadays spawns greedy fools like Lance Armstrong, who not only take risks with their long-term physiological and psychological health but also compromise their own moral compass, perhaps permanently? Not to mention corrupting their chosen sport …

Sport has become yet another victim of late-stage (terminal?) capitalism: commodify it, add a healthy lashing of “wagering”, let the white-collar and underbelly criminals rip, and as for the competitors and their adoring publics – well, they know what they can do with themselves.

Meanwhile, as crime writer John D. MacDonald wrote:

Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn’t blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won’t cheat, then you know he never will.

Integrity? The commodifiers of all things wouldn’t recognise integrity if it bit them on the bum.

816 thoughts on “The Commodification of Sport (Or, How to Lose Your Integrity: Part 1)”

  2. Cricket is still going through it’s “Super League” stage. Problem is, it’s been going for over thirty years.N RL only just getting through it now and then only because some those participating are literally dying off. NRL won’t be fixed until that greatest of wrongs is righted and that means bringing back the Bears.

  3. That donkey is certainly carrying a lot of dead weight.

    EO – I’m fighting off a cold and YOU made me spray the screen.

  5. BB,

    C@tmomma and I would like a cockroach with a morphed head, if at all possible, please …

    For your cold I recommend lemon juice, honey, whiskey, and panadol/aspirin (whichever you can take), followed by a whiskey chaser. Shall I rustle those up for you?

  6. EO – I did, seriously. What better way to destroy a good laptop than to do it having a laugh?

  9. Channel 10 news did a surprisingly good job of exposing the hollowness of Abbott’s ‘mini campaign’ launch – much better than the ABC today.

  11. Joe6pack,

    It’s all THAT WOMAN’s fault – ya can’t even trust a carbon tax these days …

  12. Thanks Leonie, I already asked what his source was and suggested it was Hadley or Jones and yes it has been going around for awhile, today I just got sick of the constant Gillard bashing. I managed to copy and paste your link onto his timeline (quite an achievement for me) and feel I have at least managed to put some facts out there.

  13. A new version of “They just are”

    http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/underfire-senator-denies-conflict-of-interest-20130127-2denh.html

    Under-fire senator denies conflict of interest
    January 27, 2013 – 3:49PM
    Jessica Wright and Daniel Hurst

    The Liberal senator Cory Bernardi denies he has breached parliamentary disclosure rules by failing to declare his links to a right-wing, pro-tobacco group fighting gun controls.

    Senator Bernardi insisted he did not have to declare his involvement with the American Legislative Exchange Council because he did not believe it posed a conflict of interest.

  14. “How come the Whyalla Cup is on today.
    Wasn’t supposed to be wiped off the map by now?”

    Phantom meetings have been very common in the past especially in Asia

  15. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr Cory Bernardi – judge, jury, and executioner extraordinaire.

  16. fiona – On Fine Cotton.

    Does the name McCoy, Bungendore or the Private Bin ring bells.

    I was born here.

  18. Thanks philvee, just copy and pasted your link as well, hopefully he will think twice about what he posts next time. I ususally try to ignore these things but if they are not challenged people believe them. I will probably never change his mind about anything but unless he deletes my comments maybe someone else will think twice.

  19. ismisadventure, yes the are all precious, but i suppose with george
    very prem and very sick for some while..every new thing he does,

    is exciting,
    thank for the invitation do you live close by

  20. RO – ‘The Bears’

    Yes – worth it just to sit under the Fig trees once a year and watch them go round against M-W.

    A thing of beauty …

  21. Abbott wouldn’t have been happy with either Channel 7 & 9 news. Both stressed no new policy & 7 even mocked Abbott’s walkaway in silence when asked to comment on Bernardi.

  22. Vic Reachtel poll Ch7
    Apparently State Labor leads. Daniel Andrews preferred State leader

  24. my oh said [lol]

    has the election been called,,,,,,dadada dont tell me i have to put up with him
    till say nov,

    so will that be the reaction form the public

  25. CTar2, I too enjoyed going to North Sydney oval for many a Bears/Dragons games. FWIW, MW screwed the Bears

  27. CTar2,

    Real Bears fans sat IN the Moreton Bay fig. I think they will come back as the Central Coast Bears and play the occasional game at NSO. Hopefully against Souths, who are about the only ones who can claim the moral high ground with Norths, sustaining them as their feeder team until re-admission. I think a couple of teams, probably those sticking to the “keep our local identity” rather than play out of a big stadium might fall over. Manly might be one of them so we may never see that fabled re-match. If it is played, there will be a lot of hate in it. Love it!

    Seriously, Souths will have about 23,000 members this year, about 18,000 of them fully ticketed. This translates to over six million in revenue. Teams playing out of antiquated dumps like Brookvale, Shark Park, Penrith and Leichhardt and even Kogarah/Wollongong average about seven thousand members (St.G-Ill are much higher) and only a few thousand ticketed. They are spotting the big clubs around three or four million a year in revenue and this is unsustainable. They are also missing out on the luxury boxes that those playing in the big stadiums can sell, thereby missing out on even more revenue. Redfern, once a cathedral of Rugby League, is now basically a training ground doubling as a dog-walking park. Those that predicted death are now looking at the richest Sydney club.

  32. Leroy L
    Interestingly, concomitant with the Vic poll housing prices are on the rise here

  33. gosh i thought joe lived miles away.

    so when they broke down on the bruce highway i could of ask him for help

    lol.

  35. It was a beautiful oval.

    A place where football should be played.

    I was once in a train in the North Sydney tunnel and the graffiti said in 10ft high letters said ‘In the year of the disabled, support the Bears’.

  36. I think distances are relative, he would be about 10 – 15 mins from Alex Headlands.

    Is that about right Joe?

  37. not me i am a christian,,,,, but a moderate type one

    a catholic actully,,,who has mind of her own, and is miles apart from abbott
    [still friends then]

    i beleive there is more to life than we know

    thats it realy,

    an i pray

  41. TFD

    ‘Born in The Private Bin?!!!’

    Rude.

    It actually is Ms Ciara here. He’s somewhere else.

  42. I didn’t think we were that close, Joe. My old boy’s never felt better, thank you.

  46. I got a sporting story for you..
    Staying with the in-laws (bro / sis) in Melbourne back in the days when Fitzroy was still there…Bro’ = Fitzroy..Sis’ = Collingwood…..serious stuff, Melb’ football….That day’s game Fitz’ vs. Pies…..first time in ages Fitzroy wins!
    Back in the suburban house, we’re there with the Sis….
    “Jeezus! I’m gonna hear about this all week!”….we’re waiting for the “Gaffer” to come home from the match……We hear the latch turn and the door open…He enters to the double sliding frosted doors to the lounge….we sit in dead silence!..the sis-i-l watching him out of the corner of her eye…what followed was a performance played out in mime that would have done Marcel Marceu proud.
    Gaffer (a large portly chap)stands there in the opening, pads his jacket pocket, stops with an exagerated satisfied look on his face..pulls a soft-pack of Styvesants out and tap..taps out a cigarette (you wouldn’t think that action would be so audible) ..puts packet back in pocket and pads jacket again in an exagerated manner..makes a silent OH! with his mouth..stops and draws out a lighter…with a glorious flourish flicks the lighter into flame and lights the cigarette, then he pulls himself up to his full height and sucks in the smoke most noisily, holds..holds..and exhales with a loud, theatrical satisfaction….
    “ORRIGHT!!”…the Sis broke..”So you won one bloody game…!”
    They do footy-smart-arse so well in Melb’

  47. Ms Ciara,

    I’d forgotten about Mr McCoy of Bungendore, late of the Private Bin – not that the latter was ever one of my haunts.

    My nightclubbing adventures – such as they were – took place in the early to mid 1970s, and were mostly in upstairs joints on Bunda Street.

  48. 7.00 ABC TV News more than favourable to Labor this evening for once. Sarcastic ABC slant on mini-campaign launch and Bernardi. And I’m always glass half empty.
    Unfortunately, Albanese interviewed with sun in his eyes and the breeze blowing his bald comb-over back the reverse way.

  49. Well, BK has returned from the Pub vs Fodder Store annual cricket game upright and relatively unscathed.
    He finished up bowling three zippy overs with a return of two for not many and was 7 not out with the wand. The team won.
    Survival, however, was the most significant achievement.

    And fiona – a lovely contribution at the top of this thread.

  50. BK,

    Well done! A drink on the house is called for – what will it be?

    PS – did my left-over anti-inflammatories reach you in time?

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