SPORT HAS OUSTED SHOW BUSINESS AS THE ENTERTAINMENT
In a world where sport has become the major source of entertainment and escapism, the persona that dominate the arena are celebrities that are worshipped and become the role models for literally hundreds of millions of youth, of all ages. In this blog Jay H. Ell would like to feature Roger Federer.
Sportsmen and women have taken over from film stars as the fantasies for all. They are the focus of media attention because they play such a central role in the media’s programming and the media is all about selling soap. So the sports people have become the highest paid entertainers as it were.
In 1965 the winner of the US Golf Open received $25,000. Today in Golf Tournaments, that are played every week, if you come 40th that is your prize. If you are fortunate enough to win the US Open today you will collect close to $1.5 million, more than making up for inflation. And that is just the beginning - because the real money is in sponsorship. The same corporations that are paying for the advertisements that make sports events prime media events are vying for the sports personalities’ endorsements on everything and anything especially the sports equipment and apparel.
More Americans, over a hundred million, watch the final of the SuperBowl than any other event in the USA including Presidential debates. A thirty second advertisement costs $4.5 million. This does not include the extravagant expense for the production of the commercial. The World Soccer Cup event generates, and all that surrounds it with construction and the whole razz a mattaz, a budget that could run a small country. The franchising of sports paraphernalia for these and for any major team or event runs into the billions.The betting on these events, legal and illegal, chalks up similar numbers. So the stars and personalities are big big business and are in fact brands in their own right.
WITH BIG MONEY COMES CORRUPTION, DRUGS AND GAMBLING
With such large amounts of money at stake and the role that sports now assumes as the circus in chief in the bread and circuses that keep the masses happy, there is obviously a host of unsavory byproducts. These include fixing of games, illegal drugs and disproportionate media attention to the personalities involved. The head of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, is an unashamed crook. Books have been written about his corrupt behavior and the allocation of World Soccer Cup venues, for example, and what he extracts from host countries. Yet he sits next to heads of States at matches. Coupled with these continued corruption scandals surrounding sport is focus by the media on the stars.
Michael Jordan, who has not played basketball for well over 15 years, net worth is over a billion dollars as he still collects close on a $80 million a year in sponsorships. He has a greater net worth than Paul McCartney the most prolific and long living Beatle. The latter group having revolutionized society as well as music in the sixties and the most iconic of the icons.
In today’s world in team sports the soccer stars are up there. However, they are still traded like commodities and their owners on selling them seem to reap larger sums of money than they do. Garreth Bale was transferred to Real Madrid the Spanish Soccer Team for close on $200 million. Don't cry for him or Cristiano Ronaldo, whose club Manchester United received a similar amount from Real Madrid, as they have become brands. Ronaldo, an unashamed megalomaniac who claims how beautiful he is, has his own everything from underwear to scent. His net worth is said to be a quarter of a billion dollars.
INDIVIDUAL SPORTS LIKE GOLF AND TENNIS IS WHERE THE REAL MONEY IS AT
But the real earnings are in golf and to a lesser extent tennis. These are individual sports. About 4 years ago Tiger Woods and Roger Federer were number one and two in earnings in the world, both well over $60 million annually. When interviewed by a journalist as to whether the fact that he was number 2 bugged Federer, the latter replied, “You don’t have to cry for me I am doing more than alright”.
Those two were reported to be very good friends till scandal hit Woods with a vengeance. According to news reports Federer attempted to contact his friend and received no response. At the best of times Wood’s image with the world was not that positive. His attitude to the fans, fellow players and the media was at best testy. Their relationship received much publicity and it was at a time when they were both poised to become the greatest in history in their respective sports. Federer went on to achieve this and Woods still has a way to go as his career ground to a halt with reports of his unbelievable womanizing and unsavory divorce.
Woods was not only the poster child of golf but also emblematic of sports stars who run amuck and are unable to cope with the disproportionate attention and rewards they receive for their psychomotor skills. The list is endless and is the focus of daily news reports not to mention the media tabloids.
ROGER FEDERER
All this is by way of background as Jay H. Ell really wants to eulogize Roger Federer, who in all of this, has maintained a way of life, dignity and unashamed frankness that makes him a role model for all those impressionable youth, of all ages, that worship the God, sport. He is very topical as he has just narrowly lost the Wimbledon Mens Tennis Final, (total purse $12 million), one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events, in what has been rated one of the greatest finals ever. But more about that later.
Greatest tennis player ever
Federer has broken every record there is in tennis. He has won more Grand Slams than anyone in history, 17. He is one of a select club, there are only 7 players, that have won a major on all surfaces in all four Grand Slam venues. He has reached the final at least five times in each of these vemues. In addition Roger has been in more Grand Slam semi, (35) and quarter, (42), finals than anyone ever. He was the World’s number one for a total of over 300 weeks over the years and has earned close to a $100 million in prize money alone.
Long long ago when he was nowhere near these majestic Everestlike heights, John McEnroe, a 7 time Grand Slam winner himself, the most insightful and intelligent of all the tennis commentators, stated he was on his way to become the greatest tennis player. McEnroe, who is truly religious about tennis, speaks in ever glowing terms about what Federer has done for “our sport”.
When it appeared inevitable that he and Tiger Woods were going to break their sport's respective Grand Slam records in short order, he did, and Tiger hasn’t and looks less and less likely to do so. The “Fedexpress” has maintained consistency for 12 years never being rated lower than in the top 4 players. Tiger, the golf phenom, has not been able to retain this consistency for whatever reasons. One myth both of them have broken is the fear that if one player is so dominant as both he and Federer were, the standard of their respective sports would be lowered as the competition withers away. History has shown, rather that it elevates the game of a whole host of other players.
Federer the tennis maestro and the thorough gentleman off and on court
His game, demeanor and dress are a joy to behold. He moves with effortless grace, quickness and the flexibility and suppleness of a ballet dancer. As the late John Arlott, the iconic cricket commentator, would have said of him, “Sheer poetry in motion”. His dress is distinctive and appropriate to the Gentleman’s game. It is elegant and stylish without a hint of flamboyance or showmanship. He displays limited controlled emotion during a set and if wins the set there is a smile and a jerk of his left forearm with a clenched fist upwards. Winning, results in falling on the ground in ecstasy, in grand slam events that is. Loosing, he does lose, results in a generous tribute to the conqueror and a quiet sadness and even a tear. He does not hide the fact that he dislikes loosing intensely. Never, but never, a temper tantrum or the slightest moan at any stage.
When interviewed there is always a recognition and respect for his opponent who he never underrates. There is no false modesty either and he is as likely to say, “I really felt I played well today” as he is “My service let me down”.
All in all he is the real deal and as you may have picked up Jay H. Ell is a fan. He is in good company. He has been the winner of the ATP World tour fan award for 11 years running 2003 - 2013 and the holder of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship award, chosen by the ATP tennis players, 9 years out of 10. In addition he was won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in 2006 and 2013. He has a huge charitable trust and high up on his agenda is the African underprivileged and education is his focus. His objective is to reach a million children by 2018. In fact he is a dual citizen of South Africa, where his mother hails from, as well as Switzerland.
His life long partner Mirka Vavrinec has been a constant companion and they have two sets of twins. The girls are now 5 years old and often join Mirka and Federer’s parents in the players box in really big matches. Roger when he was confronted by an interviewer that he was fortunate in that he was able to afford help, smiled and said, “I am a modern father. I help. I get up. I change diapers”.
2014 WIMBLEDON FINAL VERSUS NOVAK DJOKOVIC FROM SERBIA
Federer long considered over the hill at 33 years came back to Wimbledon with a vengeance in 2014. Even Djokovic at 27 years is considered a bit long in the tooth on the current tour. Each year past 28 on the world tennis scene is considered equivalent to a“dog year”. So the Swiss born maestro should have called it quits long ago.
Djokovic is the current world number one and if not for his temperament he might have won a few more slams. He has been a Grand Slam champion 6 times prior to this game and had won Wimbledon once before. In a grueling five set match he bested the legend by 3 sets to 2. The consensus was that no-one could stand up to the Serbian in rallies and to beat him Federer had to change his game to come to the net more often. As it turned out Federer matched him stroke for stroke in some stunning rallies. Djokovic passed Roger more than might be expected at the net while the latter surprised all by out serving his Serbian opponent.
As in all of these epic contests the result turned on a few points in the several hundred played. Djokovic being fortunate enough to be on the right side of those.
In case you think Federer is thinking of hanging up his Nikes, think again, as prior to the final he made it quite clear he was continuing win or lose. Tennis fans, perhaps more in hope than in sincerity, have polled by 67% to 33% that he will win another Grand Slam.
Finally, why is Federer not in every magazine featuring his positivity. No-one has dominated a sport as totally since Nicklaus in golf, Jordan in basketball, Pele in soccer, Bradman and Tendulkar in cricket, Gretzky in ice hockey, Vince Lombardi in American Football, Danie Craven in rugby football and Babe Ruth in baseball, for example. Why doesn’t “People” feature him and his family especially the unique situation of two sets of twins together with his tennis genius.? Why is his home, I am sure it is incredible with unique Federer features, never featured in the homes of the rich and famous? Simply, because he is too private and normal. He doesn’t publicly humiliate his wife and seeks a private life when not pounding a tennis ball. Outside of the Cosby tv. family, is there any family less dysfunctional? Jay H. Ell is sure like everyone else there are problems. But these are not for sale at any price.
Sadly, “The Real Deal”, as a human being is not big news.
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