Bombers in the Land of the Fakirs... AFL in India

[The Lobster Effect 896]

On 3aw at the start of the week when they were talking about it the specific place they mentioned being looked at was Calcutta - the cricket stadium holds 60k. Not that you'd fill it!

Would be a sponsorship move I'm guessing rather than a 'recruit future players move'... Apart from cricket and maybe hockey India bat well below their average!

[beelzebub 23,390]

I normally wouldn't suggest Air India to my worst enemy. On this occasion I'll make an exception 

[KingDingAling 3,758]

4 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Heard on the radio that Essendon are considering a game in India.

No problem with that but they should not be able to get away with the away game only that was gifted to Port in China.

Also the Port game required  a substantial AFL investment in respect of which the AFL have very quiet about its renewal for next year.

Practically India during our football season is hot and traditionally the crowds do not attend sporting events other than for 20:20 cricket and to a lesser extent one dayers.

Travel time to Mumbai from Melbourne is around 15 hours by direct flight so it's not insubstantial

Ben McNeice is of Indian heritage. His Mother is Indian. Logical Essendon would be involved. I think McNeice could run some clinics over there. He is a fair football brain that kid. Comes from a long line of football fanatics. I would love to see Essendon play in India. I think the Indian market in general is fairly untapped.

[Diamond_Jim 12,687]

1 minute ago, beelzebub said:

I normally wouldn't suggest Air India to my worst enemy. On this occasion I'll make an exception 

As a legacy airline Air India have been struggling financially for a number of years. There are now a number of  good budget airlines that are fast taking over.

Air Asia which dominates South East Asia is now extending itself to India to join the existing players.

My airline hint of the week.... Scoot Biz (old style business class) $500 one way to Singapore and then el cheapo to wherever you want to go in Asia. Flies daily out of Melbourne around noon.

[monoccular 17,642]

3 hours ago, america de cali said:

The altitude might bother the players. Dharmasala is more like Tibet than typical India. 1000 to 1500 metres higher than anywhere where footy is played in Australia.

Essendon v West Coast - both are used to being high (on something or other)!

[Bitter but optimistic 22,289]

1 hour ago, chook fowler said:

Chilli enemas

Jeez chook, even by my standards, that conjures up some terrible images.

FMD .... I've suddenly lost my usual gargantuan dinner appetite.

[Ethan Tremblay 31,243]

1 hour ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Jeez chook, even by my standards, that conjures up some terrible images.

FMD .... I've suddenly lost my usual gargantuan dinner appetite.

I bet you have a craving for chillies now though. 

I visited Mumbai a few years ago, a real eye opener it was. Homeless lined the streets, beggars everywhere. Or was that Flinders Street station? I get confused easily. 

Edited June 3, 2017 by Ethan Tremblay

[Clintosaurus 7,926]

Just another Sheedy thought bubble to make everyone think Essendon are a big club. They are mid level at best. 

[chook fowler 19,694]

41 minutes ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Jeez chook, even by my standards, that conjures up some terrible images.

FMD .... I've suddenly lost my usual gargantuan dinner appetite.

Put it all behind you BBO

[Jara 1,153]

4 hours ago, DominatrixTyson said:

For those familiar with cricket, Dharamsala is the perfect place to play any sport. Currently 27 degrees and sunny with fresh air coming off the Himalaya's. Probably better to play it in early May though as June it is getting a little hotter. I doubt AFL footballers would be on the street eating street food though, they'd be eating 5 star hotels.

Travel time is about 8 hours to KL, and then 5 hours to Mumbai or Delhi. 13 rather than 15.

If the game was in Mumbai, it would need to be March IMO, or late August night time after an afternoon monsoon shower. No way you'd play it in May-July

I spent a couple of weeks there - 25 years ago, alas, but what a place - magnificent. Food was brilliant. Even got to meet the Dalai Lama. 

[daisycutter 29,892]

i'm all in favour of it. as long as it is a one way ticket

[hemingway 7,633]

1 hour ago, KingDingAling said:

Ben McNeice is of Indian heritage. His Mother is Indian. Logical Essendon would be involved. I think McNeice could run some clinics over there. He is a fair football brain that kid. Comes from a long line of football fanatics. I would love to see Essendon play in India. I think the Indian market in general is fairly untapped.

Wonderful country India, and wonderful people. 

Despite what people say about the food and illness, I have never had the problem despite spending a lot of time travelling in India and living in basic accommodation. Concrete floors and little or no running water. 

I follow a few rules.

1/ Don't drink the water unless boiled. Even the most remote parts of India, there is bottled water.

2/ Don't eat salads or anything that is washed in water before consuming. Many folks get sick from eating salads even in high priced hotels.

3/ Don't eat meat. It is very hard to get sick eating vegetarian food. Avoid milk and dairy. 

4/ Only eat cooked food that you can see being cooked. That's where street food can be okay, as it is freshly cooked on the spot. Despite this, I tend to avoid street stalls and eat in temples or cheap restaurants/cafes. 

The reality is there little interest in sport, outside cricket and hockey. And compared to our standards, they are not big from a spectator/attendance viewpoint. 

Most Indians work so hard and long they have little time for discretionary activities such as sport, and have even less discretionary income/spending. For most Indians, the thought of buying a ticket to watch a sporting even does not enter their consciousness. Sure there are an increasing number of millionaires and wealthy Indians, but again most of them don't think of sport as we do.

 

[Willmoy1947 4,198]

3 hours ago, chook fowler said:

Chilli enemas

Phew... i haven't got any Chilean enemies...

[Willmoy1947 4,198]

25 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

i'm all in favour of it. as long as it is a one way ticket

Make it the whole season...

[KingDingAling 3,758]

24 minutes ago, hemingway said:

Wonderful country India, and wonderful people. 

Despite what people say about the food and illness, I have never had the problem despite spending a lot of time travelling in India and living in basic accommodation. Concrete floors and little or no running water. 

I follow a few rules.

1/ Don't drink the water unless boiled. Even the most remote parts of India, there is bottled water.

2/ Don't eat salads or anything that is washed in water before consuming. Many folks get sick from eating salads even in high priced hotels.

3/ Don't eat meat. It is very hard to get sick eating vegetarian food. Avoid milk and dairy. 

4/ Only eat cooked food that you can see being cooked. That's where street food can be okay, as it is freshly cooked on the spot. Despite this, I tend to avoid street stalls and eat in temples or cheap restaurants/cafes. 

The reality is there little interest in sport, outside cricket and hockey. And compared to our standards, they are not big from a spectator/attendance viewpoint. 

Most Indians work so hard and long they have little time for discretionary activities such as sport, and have even less discretionary income/spending. For most Indians, the thought of buying a ticket to watch a sporting even does not enter their consciousness. Sure there are an increasing number of millionaires and wealthy Indians, but again most of them don't think of sport as we do.

 

Great post Hemingway, very informative.

[beelzebub 23,390]

@hemingway

You are most welcome to india.

All yours mate

[Little Goffy 14,750]

I think Hemingway touched on the key to this whole junket; "there are an increasing number of millionaires and wealthy Indians".

Seriously, if they've got hundreds of thousands to spare to 'entertain' our humble hard-working politicians all while giving them such helpful advice about mining regulations, surely there's a bit of coin to 'invest' in nurturing the integrity of our sporting codes.

Oh, and one additional universal food tip for travelling and eating in countries without a refrigerated supply chain - go where it is busy. Most small stalls and the like buy their stock in the morning and close shop once they have sold it. And yes, that often means going local and cheap, you'll actually be safer that way!

[old dee 24,001]

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

@hemingway

You are most welcome to india.

All yours mate

That makes two of us at a mininium bb.

It is about six last on my visit list.

Below it are Somali, Sudan, Syria, Iraq and Libya.

[beelzebub 23,390]

The Nepalese i have a lot of time for..India...not so much.

[hemingway 7,633]

3 hours ago, beelzebub said:

@hemingway

You are most welcome to india.

All yours mate

It reminds me of the old Dale Carnegie quote of two prisoners looking out through prison bars, "one saw mud and the other one stars"

[hemingway 7,633]

1 hour ago, old dee said:

That makes two of us at a mininium bb.

It is about six last on my visit list.

Below it are Somali, Sudan, Syria, Iraq and Libya.

You would enjoy it Old.  

[old dee 24,001]

9 hours ago, hemingway said:

You would enjoy it Old.  

That it is less likely than the Dees winning the flag this year Erenest. 

[Diamond_Jim 12,687]

I spent a month recently in Southern India. Best to go in October to March as it is seriously hot in the other months.

The jewel of India is its people... so welcoming. I was wandering down a side street in Mysore and peered in at a wedding ceremony. Next moment I was meeting the bride and groom and then invited to the wedding feast. They feed the guests in shifts, The done thing is to have around 10 courses in about an hour and then the next shift moves in. Just amazing.

And then there are the pilgrims visiting the great temple cities like Madurai. It's like guys on a footy trip. Amazing fun loving people.

As with most of Asia go there not expecting picture post card experiences and you will be rewarded with great experiences. Everyone has heard of chai but to me the coffee was an incredible highlight.

 

[hemingway 7,633]

4 hours ago, old dee said:

That it is less likely than the Dees winning the flag this year Erenest. 

Looks like you will not be a starter for the end of season footy trip. 

[hemingway 7,633]

3 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

I spent a month recently in Southern India. Best to go in October to March as it is seriously hot in the other months.

The jewel of India is its people... so welcoming. I was wandering down a side street in Mysore and peered in at a wedding ceremony. Next moment I was meeting the bride and groom and then invited to the wedding feast. They feed the guests in shifts, The done thing is to have around 10 courses in about an hour and then the next shift moves in. Just amazing.

And then there are the pilgrims visiting the great temple cities like Madurai. It's like guys on a footy trip. Amazing fun loving people.

As with most of Asia go there not expecting picture post card experiences and you will be rewarded with great experiences. Everyone has heard of chai but to me the coffee was an incredible highlight.

 

Great story DJ and glad you share my love of the South and the people. Magical mystery tour.