The new, emerging order of sports

Inevitably, like many other things in life, sports continue to evolve. Slowly but surely, the landscape
of the many sporting disciplines is changing to keep pace with modern trends.

And, these new changes are being handed down, as the order process takes root.

Essentially, what is taking place is the refashioning of some disciplines to make them more attractive, more palatable and moreso, come in alignment with the commercialisation of sports that is the order of the day.

Dictated by market forces, namely television and streaming pull factors, the various international governing bodies have handed down the menus to countries like St Vincent and the Grenadines.

So, we are experiencing a moving away from court Volleyball to the Beach version, as well as the oozing in of Fast–5 Netball.

Similarly, it is all about 3 X 3 Basketball and Rugby Sevens that are imprinting their presence.

Notwithstanding the preponderance of 20/20 Cricket has become the staple diet.

But no reprieve and harbouring of Cricket nostalgia and purity are on the horizon, as the T/10 version is also gaining ground.

Only last week, there was the hosting of the inaugural Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Beach Games, held in Santa Marta, Colombia.

Among the events at the Beach Games, were Beach Volleyball, Open Water Swimming, Handball,Beach Soccer, Beach Wrestling, Beach Rugby, Skateboarding, Surfing, Beach Tennis and Sailing.

The staging of the Beach Games further endorses the direction being taken by the shapers and movers of sports.

Again, when one looks deeply at the choice of activities, it reveals and cements the whole fast paced sporting entertainment package that is being served especially for patrons.

These evolutions obviously have bearings on the way we do things here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

We cannot evade the many advancements and movements away from what was then the given and the accepted norms of sports.

Therefore, our local sports administrators, as a matter of course, have to fall in line.

This is inescapable if we want to stay relevant in sports on the regional and international spheres.

Those in charge of the various sports that are going through their different phases of metamorphosis, have to stay tune to the realities.

It means that the changes have to come from within, as the affected national associations must reconstruct, reconfigure and redefine their operations.

Hence, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Netball Association, the SVG Rugby Union, the SVG Basketball Federation, the SVG Tennis Association and the SVG Volleyball Association, are the ones who have to put the systems in place to facilitate and embrace the developments.

Despite the slow buy in, we have had attempts to have 3×3 Basketball take root, there has been a Fast- 5 competition at the national level and Rugby Sevens has had its sporadic focus.

However, we have not seen or heard any movements making way for the introduction of Beach Tennis and the other aforementioned Beach Games types.

Given the enforced changes to the structure of the various sports, St Vincent and the Grenadines stands to benefit, as the economics of the shorter versions will best suit us.

Thus, finding the funding for participation in a Beach Volleyball tournament is easier than to suffice a group of fifteen for a court competition. The same holds for a 3 x 3 Basketball championship, a Fast-5 or Rugby Sevens instead of the 15’s.

Additionally, finding a Beach Volleyball court for instance, it less costly than constructing an indoor facility to accommodate court Volleyball.

Too, there are many underused hard courts strewn around St Vincent and the Grenadines for Fast- 5 Netball and 3 x 3 Basketball not to flourish, once the national associations set in motion the administrative apparatus.

These may also be pluses for St Vincent and the Grenadines, as they can lure more person into the respective disciplines.

Critically to all of the pros of the shifts taking place, it is the various international federations who
are pushing the mandate and agenda.

Undeniable, the sporting landscape globally is going through transformation and it is for us in these parts to get on board or get left stuck in the blocks.