Cricket and the economy

Apr 11, 2017 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

CLR James wrote a book called Beyond a Boundary in 1943. It is considered one of the best books on cricket because it deals with things that are beyond the boundary- the sociology of cricket.
Anyone who believes that the social structure of the Caribbean is simplistic and with gradients along the lines of colour and class should read James’s book. It explains the complexity of intra-race relations and how within a particular racial group there are sub divisions based on class and pigmentation.
Many critics of the West Indian cricket team have lamented on the poor performance of the team. The players have come in for exacting criticisms of their performance. The poor and inconsistent performance has been attributed to a number of causes including insularity. And that latter problem cannot be divorced from the societies from which our players are drawn. It is for this reason that those who are interested in helping West Indian cricket to regain its former glory should undertake a study of Beyond a Boundary.
Cricket can tell us many things about ourselves. It can tell us about the state of our economy. Attendance at cricket in Guyana can tell us about how our economy is performing and who is benefitting. It can tell us about the ruling class and about the oppressed classes.
Guyanese have always been cricket enthusiasts. It does not matter whether the West Indies team is winning or losing, there is strong attendance at international cricket in Guyana. A full house is normally guaranteed in Guyana for international cricket. The attendance gets better when it is a team from the sub-continent.
Well, that was before this week when it was clear that the economy is the lack of monetary circulation. This has caused Guyana to lose its reputation as a cricket-crazy nation.
The National Stadium should have been filled to capacity last Friday and last Sunday. The attendance on both days was disappointing.
Work commitments do not keep Guyanese away from cricket. The poor attendance even on Sunday is an indication that the spending power is simply not there. There was interest. People were asking their employers for tickets but their employers said they did not buy any this year. It shows there was an interest but no interest in paying for their own tickets because they simply do not have the money.
Cricket sales prior to the match were slow. The Guyana Cricket Board recognized the problem and began to urge fans to come out in their numbers in order to ensure that Guyana continues to be allotted international matches. The Cricket Board was hoping for a last- minute rush for tickets. It did not happen. Companies which normally buy bulk tickets for their staff could not afford to do so. It means that many of the persons who were hoping for a free ticket from their employers were disappointed.
Cricket attendance depends on the economy and vice versa. Cricket has spin off effects. The sales of food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages items during cricket matches helps to keep money circulating in the country. The after-match binges keep the finances of many watering holes in the blue. All of that was absent after the first two matches this past week at the National Stadium in Providence. If beer and run are not selling in Guyana it is sure sign of a deepening crisis.
Cricket attracts tourists from the Caribbean and North America but it does seem as if this year there was limited attendance. People are not keen on coming to Guyana at this time to watch cricket.
The crisis is not with the cricket. The West Indies team may be inconsistent but they are certainly not performing as bad as the Guyana economy.

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