Goaaaaaaaaal! But not every hotel and outlet has scored By Pamela D'Mello The Asian Age
Panaji: World cup mania has transalated into a mini business in football loving Goa, but not every watering hole that offered big-screen delights and crowd atmospherics felt they had scored. Across this state, where football has a big audience and as many clubs as villages, almost every eatery and bar worth its feni erected giant screens to lure in the crowds. Hot and cold beverage companies pitched in for sponsorhip and marketing, with local newspapers joining in too. Except, the audience weren't always biting. What with home entertainment systems and the like, most preferred to have a boys night in around a home television set, with a few friends, beer and snacks on the house. Cheap and comfy. "We had mostly domestic tourists and foreigners who have settled here patronising our matches," says Rajeev Bhatt of the Calangute nightclub Farenheit, one of the three dozen football hangouts in Goa with spot prizes, face painting and the rest. Local football aficionados though headed for the easier-on-the-pocket Calangute Association large hall, which reported middle of the night traffic jams. Having dished out amounts from Rs 125,000 upwards to ESPN to commercially air the matches, big screen restaurants and clubs were recovering costs on beers, drinks and snacks. "The more happening places would set you back Rs 400 a match. That's a bit much for an average guy, Rs 7000 for an entire World Cup. Most preferred cozy dos at home", says Francis Ribeiro, sports editor with a Goa newspaper. Smaller restaurants reported bigger volumes in football-crazy south Goa, particularly Salcete. With the stiff competition and limited clients, ESPN reps were called in to check on places that were raking in the mullah without paying requisite license fees. One disappointment has been that both of Goa's favourites -- Brazil and Portugal -- are out of the World Cup finals this weekend. (ENDS) _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list Goanet@lists.goanet.org http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org