What is it with sport in the Gulf States?

For almost any sport, conditions and location dictate that most events in these areas are actually non-events? So as we suspect, almost all of us being footie fans, is it all about money? Obviously the Qatar World Cup has been the most scrutinised, so why is it that more and more events are heading there, but nobody actually seems to give a ****?

Will it improve? Will places like Dubai, with the growing popularity of the 'resort' as a holiday location actually mean that people will show up to sporting events there?

Formula 1: The organisers are probably onto a winner financially, but it is a poorly attended event. Surely the hosts can't make any money out of it, and surely the local hotels can't be rammed full as they would be elsewhere around the globe. I'm not a big F1 fan, but to me it seems a non-event unless anybody can tell me otherwise.

Golf: Again, players are paid big bucks to play there, but there are poor attendances and I guess it would be years until there is anything like an Open or Ryder cup style atmosphere. And there is a massive strain on environmental resources. From the little I have read there seems to be a large scale impact on the environment for every course built. But it doesn't stop them building courses by the dozen every year.

Football: Do we really believe Qatar will be a hotbed by 2022? Hot yes, but there will be no greater passion for football than there is now. And the award of the competition itself is still stained in corruption. England (and others) spent millions on their bids, only to be told "it was always our intention to take it somewhere new". England bid under false representation, but any refund seems unlikely (the dosh already in the pockets of Platini et al). And the weather! Just as you could never expect cricket to take off in Alaska, football could never succeed in the Gulf. Could it?

Cricket: OK, Pakistan need somewhere to play. Abu Dhabi has welcomed them into what looks like a beautiful purpose built large stadium. 200 people have turned up on the first three days of the current test. On a wicket that is so slow all you can do is defend, and when running a 2 or 3 more than once in an over could cause heat exhaustion ....... why? A few England fans I know didn't even know we had a test this week! Surely Pakistan had better options in their difficult predicament? So did money talk again? Did the Gulf millions make Pakistan an offer too good to refuse?

Cycling: The Tour of Abu Dhabi finished this week. It was an attempt to squeeze yet another event into an already crowded calendar. A calendar that starts the year in Qatar and Oman. Nobody watches. Bikes are unusable afterwards (sand) teams get zero exposure and riders end up with even less recovery for the tours in the European heartlands, which suffer in turn. This week, riders started the first stage in 53 degrees, and temperatures averaged 45 degrees for the day. The organiser agreed to shorten the stage but told the peloton to give it their best for the spectators (maybe a hundred people in the day - max). That's tantamount to cruelty. One rider said "it was just about comfortable enough to cycle in, but impossible to race in". Who benefits? http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...mpossible-conditions-at-abu-dhabi-tour-194918

What is it with sport in the Gulf States?

 

Simple. They have the money abs want to show it off ...

 

Money money money. And possibly the belief that they'll capture the imagination of the locals which will in turn increase exposure thus creating more money (I don't think it'll work). But the money they are paid by the organisers means they are quids in without the increased exposure. Many billionaire egos being massaged.

 

You have clearly never been here as much of what you said is simply not true. Let's just stick to the money aspect.

 

It's somewhere I've never been. Please sort out some misconceptions, which parts are not true?

 

Qatar also have the UCI World Championships next year. It can only be about the money.

 

Of course it's all about money - that's all that matters in many sports these days. It is the be-all and end-all of modern sport.

 

Three instructional videos to explain why so many sporting events are being held in the Gulf states....

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=abba money money money&sm=1

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=money flying lizards&sm=1

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=its corruption&sm=3



Allegedly

 

For Plankton Pete - hi Pete, I'll answer with the quote as it's easier for me.

The F1 GP is a well attended event here, a bit like Ascot where the ladies dress up to the 9's. Always sold out.

The average occupancy rate for hotels here is 90% throughout the year, so they are not reliant on sporting events to fill them up.

Golf - can't say it's any less attended than the Portugal masters which I'm watching now. Obviously on weekdays it's less attended than weekends like anywhere else. Golf is well attended by the ex-pats.

Football - the locals preferred sport and the local games which are probably at the standard of the teams Barnsley are playing now. They get a few thousand. Qatar World Cup was bought and sold by Blatter and co. Should never have been allowed, much the opinion of most here. Totally impractical in summer.

Cricket - it's basically Pakistan's home ground here as they can't play in their own country. Mostly attended by Pakistanis, Indians and a few ex-pats, but as most of the Pakistanis and Indians here are labourers they wouldn't be able to attend on weekdays because of work, it should pick up at the weekend tho.

Cycling - the temperatures are no longer in the 40's now and it hasn't been Higher than 50 here in the 10 years I've been here, and that's at the height of summer.

The richest horse race in the world is here and always packed out with Dubai's finest.

The rugby 7's are well attended by many ex-pats supporting their teams.

So what's it with sport in the Gulf? Strong and healthy IMO

Hope this helps

 

Ta

 

So strong and healthy provided they are all squeezed into weekend days? Fair comment?

 

We work here, it's what ex-pats do

 

You might be surprised to hear that we work here too. It's what the working class does.

 

Good then you don't go to mid week cricket and golf so you will understand

 

Midweek sporting events (particularly top level) here are packed still, that's my point.

 

I agree with the general questioning about how suitable the gulf is for a lot of sports.

I guess the difference with midweek attendances here & over there is here we have millions of wealthy retired people, whereas the wealthy over there are workers only. Don't think many people chose to retire in Dubai. I'd guess the average age would be far lower. Helped partially of course by all the corporal & capital offences for **** all.

 

So how many mid week golf events are played in the dark? My point is that ex-pats choose the path to make money and retire early, this can't be achieved by taking days off to watch sport, we sometimes work 18 hour shifts during down times for weeks on end. If you and many others can afford to take days off to watch games then it's your choice, personally I've never done it and you won't find many ex-pats who would. We live in different worlds, ones which both of us apparently will never understand.

 

That's all fair enough, I'm not criticising any of that, but back to the original point of the thread, it begs the question why top level sporting events would be held there when they are poorly attended.

 

Just to be clear @DubaiTyke - my question is not a pop at the area in general; it's a part of the world I would love to visit or even work in (I missed that chance). And it's certainly not a pop at the people there.

Hope I didn't say anything to offend, and thanks for the insight (which is kind of what I was hoping for)

 

Depends on the sport, most are well attended