The Commonwealth Games: Are they even relevant anymore?

[prisonermonkeys]

I'm sitting here late on a Sunday afternoon, and virtually every other ad on one of the three channels I get is for the Comonwealth Games. A quick check of the online TV guide shows that the network has blanketed all of its analogue and didigtal stations with Comonwealth Games coverage. Ignoring for the moment that this means I won't get to watch the Japanese Grand Prix - something I am surprisingly upset over - I have to wonder: does anyone even care about them? Watching these wildly-overproduced ads, I'm even less inclined to watch them than I would be, and that's before I know the next two weeks will generally involve commentators getting so excited that they sound suspiciously like they're masturbating (sorry, there's no other word of saying it). And yet, I cannot help but thing that for all of this, the Commonwealth Games hold no relvance.

Does anyone else think this is an outdated concept?

 

[Famine]

No more or less so than any other all-sports festival.

 

[Anes]

Ignoring for the moment that this means I won't get to watch the Japanese Grand Prix

What?


Comm games are a waste of time as far as I'm concerned but at least with 2010 we got to laugh at India's attempt at construction.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

What?

It's true. Channel Ten have the rights to the Grands Prix, but they're broadcsting stuff from India almost twenty-four hours a day on both their analogue and digital channels.

 

[Robin]

I don't think its relevant at all anymore since the British Empire no longer exists. Sure it can be considered another major sporting event but to call it the 'commonwealth' games is slightly stupid in my opinion.

 

[Famine]

I don't think its relevant at all anymore since the British Empire no longer exists. Sure it can be considered another major sporting event but to call it the 'commonwealth' games is slightly stupid in my opinion.

When the Empire existed, it was the Empire Games. Since then it's morphed into the Empire & Commonwealth Games, the British Commonwealth Games and now just the Commonwealth Games - because Commonwealths do still exist.

 

[Anes]

It's true. Channel Ten have the rights to the Grands Prix, but they're broadcsting stuff from India almost twenty-four hours a day on both their analogue and digital channels.

Sigh.

I was really looking forward to seeing Suzuka. Pivotal round in the championship too

 

[daan]

It just means that Scotland gets to fail on it's own, rather than as part of Great Britain. 👍

 

[prisonermonkeys]

When the Empire existed, it was the Empire Games. Since then it's morphed into the Empire & Commonwealth Games, the British Commonwealth Games and now just the Commonwealth Games - because Commonwealths do still exist.

Except that the Commonwealth doesn't mean anything anymore. I strongly suspect the only reason Australia goes to the Commonwealth Games in the first place is to scoop the medals pool. The only time the word "Commonwealth" enters into our vernacular is when the games are even on, but nobody cares. Hell, Melbourne hosted them in 2006 and the country didn't bat an eye - but now we've got wall-to-wall coverage of it for the next two weeks. The Commonwealth Games were founded on similar principals to the Olympics, but like I said, Australia is only in it to win, which subverts the entire point of it.

Sigh.

I was really looking forward to seeing Suzuka. Pivotal round in the championship too

So was I, but Channel Ten have decided it's more important that we listen to over-excitable commentators sounding suspiciously like they're jerking off. Qualifying is tape-delayed until 4am on One, but I don't know about the race. If you have DVR (or are willing to stay up that late), you might be able to catch it.

 

[Anes]

I just checked the guide as your posts upset me but in QLD qualifying is on at 3pm Saturday on One HD. Dunno about the race tho.

 

[Famine]

Except that the Commonwealth doesn't mean anything anymore.

When did it ever?

The only time the word "Commonwealth" enters into our vernacular is when the games are even on, but nobody cares.

Except the bit where it's your country's name. The Commonwealth of Australia.

As I said, the Commonwealths still exist. The Commonwealth Games aren't particularly anachronistic - they replaced the Empire Games which were - and are no less pointless or relevant than any other multi-discipline sporting festival, like the World Student Games.

 

[Anes]

Sensationalism photos: http://www.binscorner.com/pages/d/delhis-disgrace-the-shame-commonwealth-g.html
Games comic strips: http://www.binscorner.com/pages/c/commonwealth-shamescartoon.html

 

[boiltheocean]

I'm looking forward to this years games because a good friend of mine is competing, if he performs to his expectations he may be going to London 2012.

 

[DK]

The Commonwealth Games are just an entry-level Olympics.

 

[Anes]

"The Gold Coast (Australia) has emerged as the frontrunner to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games after it's only rival Sri Lanka failed to turn up to make its formal pitch to the games confederation in New Delhi."





Just read that on Sky News. The games are dead.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

The Commonwealth Games are just an entry-level Olympics.

Not according to the Australian commentators. You could be forgiven for thinking that the Olympics are an entry-level Commonwealth Games, especially given the soundbytes in the ads the network is running: "This is something to savour! This is something to remember, for the rest of your life!" and "Who can raise the tempo!? Who can turn it up!?" and "Growing up as an athlete ... seeing the Commonwealth Games on television as a child, and when you walk into that stadium for the first time and it hits you and you think: 'Wow. I'm a Commonwealth Games athlete.'" I'd take a Jonathan Legard and James Allen dream team over these guys any day of the week. Especially Ray 'Rabbits' Warren; he's aptly named because he just rabbits on.

If anything, I suppose my distaste for the Commonwealth Games comes directly from the commentators. Normally, I'd be totally neutral towards them, but given that I've been saturated with this crap (there's no other word for it) for the past two months, I was sick of it long before the Games even began. The cynic in me believes it's part of the network war; the broadcaster has long prided itself as showing a lot of sport - they even have a dedicated sports channel. But they've never had the rights to the Olympic Games, summer or winter (which usually go to one of the other two channels), and this year's Winter Olympics were an absolute ratings bonanza for the network that broadcast them. At the same time, they don't have the rights to the FIFA World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, Tour de France, V8 Supercars, the cricket or the NRL. Despite having a dedicaed sports channel, they keep losing out on all these major national and international sporting events and they're desperate to presever their image. So they resort to taking the biggest event they can get their hands on and market nine shades of hell out of it to give us the impression that this is a Big Deal. Australia is expected to dominate the medal tally in New Delhi, and they're going to milk it for all its worth with a collection of the world's most obnoxious commentators.

 

[DK]

To be honest, I think the Commonwealth Games, as well as being an entry-level Olympics, is also the British trying to say, "Hey world, we still have an empire...of sorts." It's like the Commonwealth is trying to remind the world that it exists.

 

[TheCracker]

Or maybe it's simply just an international championships giving, mostly amateur athletes, the chance to compete on the world stage?

 

[Famine]

To be honest, I think the Commonwealth Games, as well as being an entry-level Olympics, is also the British trying to say, "Hey world, we still have an empire...of sorts." It's like the Commonwealth is trying to remind the world that it exists.

Just for reference, being in the Commonwealth of Nations is actually opt-in - not opt-out - and thirty-three of the fifty-four countries that choose to be in the Commonwealth are republics - the Queen is not head of state there. Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Namibia were never members of the British Empire either.

Madagascar and Algeria have apparently applied for membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. Neither have ever been in the British Empire nor a British territory or possession.

 

[Touring Mars]

The Commonwealth Games are arguably less important to developed nations such as those from the British Isles, Australia, Canada etc., but there is little doubt that they still mean a great deal to developing nations, such as India. Ironically, the lack of the 'big names' (USA, China, Russia, Germany, UK (as a single team) etc.) is exactly what developing nations (such as Pakistan and India) and smaller nations (too many to mention) need to grab a bit of the limelight on a global stage (not to mention that it also provides an extra rung on the ladder for up and coming athletes from throughout the Commonwealth, a great example being Ian Thorpe). India has put a billion dollars into these games, and despite a shambolic (and extremely embarrassing) run-up to the games, it seems that they might yet reap the benefits, not least if these games bolster their bid for the 2020 Olympic Games... The 2014 CWGs are in Glasgow, and whilst I don't see Scotland hosting the Olympics, the Games could easily bolster a Scottish bid to host either the Euro football tournament, or even jointly host the World Cup at some point...

 

[Scooty]

A total and utter waste of time.

I suppose the games were valid when we had a real Commonwealth but now it's been diluted so much that I don't think it's worth the bother.

This games has been dominated by the non appearance of top athletes for reasons varying from 'sudden injury' to fear for their safety. Says a lot really.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Watching the 5pm news, the Commonwealth Games is turning into an utter joke. Looking at the medals table, Australia has twice as many medals as anyone else. There's simply no point to it when one country simply dominates.

 

[Ardius]

I think some here are being needleesly negative for personal reasons ("means I can't watch the Japanese Grand Prix", "Australain commentators say X"...etc).

The Commonwealth Games have no more or less relevance than the Olympics in my opinion, from what I know, its only second to the Olympics as far as athletics goes anyway. Its like saying GP2 or Indycar are irrelevant series, they aren't really, they just give people a chance. Maybe irrelevant for personal viewing if you only care about "the best" but they are relevant for the purposes of competition.

Clearly the people being negative about it don't care about athletics, its nothing to do with being related to the British Empire (why is this something negative anyway...considering it doesn't exist anymore and the Commonwealth is not forced upon anyone?).

And we can discuss all day about "one country/team dominates, so it doesn't matter" in almost any sport. Does WRC not matter as Loeb/Citroen dominates? I find it amusing interludes that you are annoyed the Aussie media give so much coverage and also criticise that in fact Australia is doing quite well. Are we not seeing the 2+2 here? Should Australia just ignore their success?

 

[PeterJB]

They only part of tournaments like this and the Olympics that I don't is that the UK is split into England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They're not individual nations, whereas most other competing teams are. Plus, it makes the English get all snobby and arrogant towards to other three because we tend to do better.

 

[MTC]

It’s only the Commonwealth Games that do that. Great Britain (with Northern Ireland) competes as one in the Olympics.

 

[RacerPaul]

They only part of tournaments like this and the Olympics that I don't like is that the UK is split into England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

They're not individual nations

whereas most other competing teams are. Plus, it makes the English get all snobby and arrogant towards to other three because we tend to do better

seeing as those bolded have devolved assemblies (psudo-parliaments), i think they consider themselves separate when it suits them

i think we (the English) ought to cut them loose properly and see how they get on with raising their own money rather than leeching ours

 

[Ardius]

seeing as those bolded have devolved assemblies (psudo-parliaments), i think they consider themselves separate when it suits them

i think we (the English) ought to cut them loose properly and see how they get on with raising their own money rather than leeching ours

Does that inlcude giving Scotland the North Sea oil?

 

[RacerPaul]

Does that inlcude giving Scotland the North Sea oil?

that old chestnut. that all you got?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I think some here are being needleesly negative for personal reasons ("means I can't watch the Japanese Grand Prix", "Australain commentators say X"...etc).

Maybe. But I just find the way the whole world has to stop for the Commonwealth Games and the network talks about it like it's something we need to see just irritates me. If there's one thing I hate, it's being bombarded with messages like the ones the broadcasters were using.

 

[Casio]

First. The Japanese GP was on live on ONEHD Sunday.

Second. While the Commonwealth Games aren't the absolute pinnacle of sports but it doesn't claim to be. To be honest, for sporting strong countries like England and Australia, it's a get step up for young athletes to compete on the world stage and get results, to give them confidence for the Olympics in 2 years, their are countless examples of athletes having a strong Commonwealth Games, and then having a strong Olympics. And as said, it gives smaller countries and chance to compete in an international event which they otherwise may not qualify in. They'll still get the same result as if they were in the Olympics, it's just that they'll lose to someone other than Australia.

To say that their is no point to the commonwealth games because it doesn't have all nations, and therefore the best-of-the-best, in it doesn't make sense. In that case why have any non-international events at all? Is UEFA Champions League not important because it excludes some very exceptional South American club teams? What about the Pan Am Games? Asia Cup? etc. Even the World Cup only has qualifiers against teams in their own region.