There was once a time – a simple time – when radios were a football fans best friend. Away from home, while their team played home or away, one would do their very best in translating visuals into words. These words were then received and in turn regenerated by the recipient into imaginary visuals: the closest representation available of what was occurring on their teams’ football pitches. Others weren’t so unfortunate, and had to humbly rely on goal updates from a friend.
All the while, some ambitious enthusiasts attempted to avoid knowing the score until Match of the Day that evening, hiding away from as much human interaction as day to day necessity needs warrant. Portable TVs had been around for decades of course, but television rights ensured that SKY – a service inaccessible from portable TVs – held the monopoly over showing most football fixtures.
Times have changed however, which seems to be a common theme in such intangible years. The internet has altered the art of viewing football. At the forefront of this alteration, is the ability to access the internet through mobile phones.
The Mobile Phone Will Replace the Portable TV
Yesterday, I watched Getafe put five past Sevilla, on my iPhone. The biggest surprise was that I found myself more surprised at Sevilla being trumped, than the fact I was watching a Spanish football game, on my mobile. The video quality was as faultless as Getafe’s performance.
Fans around the country need not miss a game. SkySports subscribers with smartphones can watch televised games on their handset, while non-televised games can be streamed online, on canny websites.
Furthermore, a variety of apps exist to supply us with goal highlights. Live Score Addicts provide goal highlights from a dumbfounding 300 leagues around the world!
Perhaps then it’s the case that sports have changed our relationship with our mobile phones. When looking up mobile phone deals, do many of us not have thoughts lingering in our heads concerning each device’s capability to show the football?
How has this impacted the sport?
Technologies are phenomena that constantly change every aspect of our lives. The impact of the mobile phone’s development upon football is most apparent for all to see. Fans are almost spoilt these days, to the extent that not being able to see a game is now considered a tragedy. Knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of players have increased tenfold, due to more games being witnessed also. No longer is teletext a necessity for goal updates. All matters regarding football can now be brought to your phone. The mobile phone has killed teletext and looks set to slaughter the radio and portable TV.
Tahar Rajab is a British freelance writer
