Sports has a unique ability to bring people together. It gives communities a shared identity, a sense of belonging and an outlet for collective expression. The passion it generates is also what makes it big business. Football in Europe, baseball and basketball in the United States, and cricket in India have grown into billion-dollar industries on the strength of their massive following. Sports can also be a political tool, but that is another subject.
In Nagaland, football undoubtedly commands the biggest following. Almost every village has a playground, and few things bring people together quite like a football match. The recently concluded Dr T Ao Inter-District Football Championship was a reminder of this. Beyond the results and the trophy, the tournament generated excitement, district pride and a sense of collective identity that extended well beyond the players on the field.
Much has been said about sports development in Nagaland, particularly infrastructure, funding, government policies and training facilities. These are necessary, but they are only part of the picture. Far less attention is given to the culture built around a sport. Infrastructure develops the game, but culture sustains it. A playground, training facility or government policy can create the conditions for sport, but cannot, by themselves, generate the public interest, rivalries, heroes, stories and sense of belonging that make people follow it. No sport flourishes on infrastructure alone. It needs an ecosystem of banter, songs, merchandise and memories that keep people emotionally invested long after a match ends.
This is where sports journalism becomes important. It does more than report scores and results. It documents rivalries, tells the stories of players, builds public interest and gives supporters something to follow, discuss and remember. By keeping audiences engaged, it can also create opportunities for commercial investment and help sustain the following that makes a sport viable.
But journalism is not the entire ecosystem. Supporter clubs, local leagues, school competitions, merchandise, community engagement and businesses all have a role. Sports journalism connects and amplifies these elements, giving rivalries a life beyond the playing field, celebrating local heroes and keeping public interest alive between tournaments.
Unfortunately, Nagaland has yet to develop a sustained culture of specialised sports journalism. Much of the attention and investment in sports development remains centred on infrastructure and policy, while the people and platforms that build the culture around sport receive little attention. Investment must therefore look beyond stadiums and policies.
If sports in Nagaland are to flourish, producing sports journalists must be considered as important as producing sportspersons. One develops the game on the field; the other helps build the culture that sustains it. Ultimately, what makes people care about a sport, follow it and keep it alive is everything that grows around the game. Sports journalism is vital to that ecosystem.
