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| The blogger with Ian Wright at Tiong Bahru Market in 2015 |
I am no longer looking forward to the World Cup — a feeling that began after 2002.
Gone are the days when the competition was broadcast on free-to-air channels, serving as a focal point around the globe that everyone looked forward to every four years.
Back then, our local broadcasters would host the coverage from their own studio setup at Caldecott Hill during those SBC days before the role was taken over by Australia's SBS in 1994, which introduced Singaporean households to the legendary duo of Les Murray and Johnny Warren for the very first time.
Since then, watching the World Cup has become a costly affair. Football fans have to dig deep into their pockets to pay for the subscriptions just to witness the mesmerising moments of icons such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
I still remember paying the subscription for the first (and last) time so that my late father could watch the games during 2002 edition which was jointly hosted by Japan and South Korea.
So when recently former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright criticised the "scandalous" costs that ordinary fans need to pay to watch the World Cup, it struck a chord with me.
Speaking to The Independent, a British online publication, the Gunners legend blasted:“The tickets. The travel, everything is extortionate, it's a rich man's game. It's scandalous."
So, if given a choice: -
• Would you pay whatever it cost to watch the World Cup on television?
• Take a sabbatical from the game during the tournament?
I know jolly well what is my best option.
Last but not least, is the upcoming tournament being organised by FIFA?
