PRINT MEDIA DON'T LOVE INDIAN FOOTBALL.

The newspaper industry in India is one of the important contributing industries in the Indian Economy.

With around 250 million daily circulation, it's reach among the masses is splendid and undeniable.

Imagine, how far it spread the information and how strong the impact on the society.

From students, working individuals, retired, homemakers,poor, rich somehow everyone have connection with the newspaper.

They read regularly and know about the daily happenings.

But, why Indian football is not included in this information?

I always thought, why so much discrimination is faced by the Indian football over the other sports.

As you all know that yesterday, Indian football federation released the names of 23 women's national team players for the AFC Asian Cup.

Many Indian newspapers with high readership and which are published in different languages, zones and cities failed to even mention that.

Shocking, isn't it ?

This condition is after the competition is about to start in 8 days in India only and no one even bothered to write about it !

Whereas the news about the Cricket was all over the sports page, funny is that New Zealand and Bangladesh test match got covered too in detail.

I remember one YouTuber asked people about Sunil Chettri by showing them his picture, 95 percent of them didn't even knew about him.

Can you imagine, even after playing so much and well for the country and clubs.

While every one knows about players from the Ipl even one has played for only one season.

More than a decade of footballing career at time of Sunil Chhettri was not enough for people to recognise him.

The contract is real and the truth is undeniable.

The sidelining of Indian football from every corner, resulted in this.

He had to beg people to watch football matches.

And the same media who covered the same tournament in a paragraph before, wrote big articles misusing his helplessness. 

Many would say because Indian football is not favourable when it comes to reporting it.

But is everyone interested to know the scorecard of test match everyday in detail?

There should be proper representation to every sports and should be given a fair share.

Role of newspaper in addressing the issues !

Nobody can deny the role newspapers play in our lives, they spread the information and issues related with the football.

Pointing towards the wrong doings and system failures.

It helps in officials and government taking definite actions to address and solve those problems.

It act as a pressure group for the right cause.

Indian football need that help too, from clubs to the players.

The stress is real even after seeeing the happy faces, we can't deny that they need space too.

Unless their thoughts, needs, issues and expectations are given importance,how the spectrum of the football in India will grow?

Also,  Indian super league is going on, the match was between two clubs with more suburban support.

People are die hard fans whether it is Jamshedpur or East Bengal, still the match was covered in 4 lines.

Recently there was news of wall paintings on the football ground as young players play admiring them.

The both players are not in 30s or retired but two young players, plying trade in the Indian Super League.

         ( source - twitter/AworShatsang) 

Imagine, any great article and reporting of that in the newspapers around the country, how much it could have impacted the readers.

Parents and young children, reading more about it could have been easily inspired by it.

Thus adding to the positives and good things happening in these tough times.

But it is not the case here ! 

Change is required !

The change should happen as media is the only way every thing can be shared and made to address.

The positives of the news articles on football in the print media, player profiles and interviews can make many people attracted to it.

Every football fan who loves it but don't have a information availablity feel pitty.

We can see that on social media, the eagerness to know more is always there but due to non availability in the main stream they don't have any choice.

The proper representation of Indian football can give important boost to the Indian football and other sports but for that a change is required, which looks highly unlikely and often forced one not spontaneous.