Of soccer and music

Nkosilathi Sibanda Urban Beats
WORD on the street is on the Fifa World Cup. When most would probably rather talk about players and matches, I prefer something else.
It is entertainment in football. Perhaps the football crazed reader might lend an ear to an entertainment piece. This is worth mentioning and of equal measure as the game of football. If you were in Brazil or in front of your plasma TV last Thursday, what else will you tell your friends other than the thrills of the opening match?

The pre-match entertainment was a better spectacle. It was — WOW! The music and dance was awesome. This got me thinking. In light of the football World Cup, how does music fit in this fray, as everyone is gripped with nothing but football.

If you thought music has no place in sport think again. Politicians are obsessed with music, why not a sport loving lot? Quite often football players are seen putting on headphones. It passes as a fashion trend yet it is not.

I have seen Highlanders players with Dr Dre headphones hung around their necks, presumably about to listen to Lovemore Majaivana’s ITshilamoya. What’s the link?

We ask as many questions as to why would soccer tournament organisers engage artistes? The answer could lie in the general effect entertainment has universally. I wonder if any sport fan can grapple with the reality of entering a stadium to sit and wait for a match without music treat.

Fans generally feel upbeat as a response to the music playing, prompting them to remain more active and involved in the game.

Ask any soccer fan who has been to Barbourfields Stadium how it feels like to sing prior to a match. They will say it feels the same way as what we felt on the opening day of the World Cup.

So, why is there so much music in sport?

When sport idols switch to music, they most probably are toning down the pressure. I am not a doctor of any kind but listening to music has its benefits to players too. We are to see more of this as the soccer showcase continues. With all sporting events, we see a drift of a carnival like atmosphere. There is no need to restrict artistic creativity in the sporting discipline.

On the opening day of the World Cup, the “divalicious” J LO teamed up with rapper Pitbull and they made the opening of the World Cup so pleasing. The samba dancers and other extras fuelled the enjoyment. One could not move from the couch amid the whirl of colour and entertainment on screen.

In most sporting events, musicians have played a part, making sure they numb the rivalry that comes with the competition. You just cannot separate music from sport. Adding music and any kind of entertainment can make a difference and up the confidence of players and the fans. It dawns on us that the celebration in Brazil was a show of a country that has a vibrant showbiz industry. Call a Brazilian to party and you are sure of a night to remember.

The local industry has a lot to learn there. In that moment, thoughts of being in a carnival are forgiven. Eventually that pomp gave way to a soccer match. We read of many tourists who flew to Sao Paulo only to witness the entertainment. They marvel at Brazil’s “supa dupa” entertainment. Lucky Zimbabweans enjoyed the same treat at Soccer City in Johannesburg.

Does it ring a bell? Our artistes must go an extra mile and follow suit. With the sporting competitions all year round locally, there should be sport carnivals as an addition. Sport and showbiz share an economic relationship too. Performers and all the creatives get a share of the money that comes with the sporting event. In short, music makes everything better.

Artistes get paid, fans enjoy more. That is what makes a combination of sport and music so great.

Music and all forms of enjoyment are a necessary element to an unforgettable event experience.

It is undisputable that music definitely plays a role in many of the traditions that we love at sporting events.

Entertainment might not be your cup of coffee this winter. A day at a stadium would change the way you think. Go on, play that song while you watch your favourite team.

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