Courtesy: The Star On Line


After football is futsal the next commercial craze?

by Eugene Mahalingam

WHEN I was an overweight young boy, I was blown away when I saw footages of Argentina's Diego Maradona dazzle the world with his skills at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

It was at that point that I decided I was going to become a professional footballer when I grew up. However, I found out the hard way that not everybody can emulate the skills of the great Maradona.

So, after much sweat and tears (oh, the tears!) and many failed attempts at even making it as a substitute in my school's football team, with a heavy heart, I had to admit that I just wasn't good enough and relinquished my dreams of ever becoming a professional footballer.

I also stopped playing football games after that, as everyone else was either too fast or too good for me and running on an endlessly huge football field felt simply overwhelming.

Given the physical fitness required, I realised that football wasn't for everyone, least of all me. So I hung up my boots for good.


Rekindled romance

Then, last year, after a long hiatus, it felt like a rekindled romance when I played a game of futsal for the first time and got to kick a ball once again.

Futsal is essentially a scaled down, indoor version of football. It is a small-sided game (at least five-a-side per team) that is played on a smaller field, roughly the size of a basketball court.

Given the size of the pitch, it is a sport that can be enjoyed not just by the super-fit (as a near 200-pounder, I'm easily the heaviest guy on the court and can definitely attest to this)!

In fact, if you go to any futsal venue in Malaysia, you'll see all kinds of people playing it regardless of size, age or gender.

Futsal is even played by the blind and is recognised by the International Blind Sports Federation.

Therein lies the beauty of futsal unlike football, it's something that can be played by a very wide audience. What's more, it's also an inexpensive activity. An average session can cost about RM100 per hour, and with 10 to 12 people per game, that translates to about RM8 to RM10 per person. Some outlets even offer discounts and rebates.

This is what has made it such a craze around the world for both sports enthusiasts and business entrepreneurs.

In Malaysia, the popularity of futsal has practically boomed over the past five to 10 years so much so that many are reaping the commercial benefits of it.

Local futsal operators, especially in the Klang Valley, are already enjoying roaring business. In some locations, it's near impossible to book slots on weekdays after working hours or on weekends. Reservations sometimes have to be done a few days, if not weeks, in advance.


Drawing crowds

Even mall operators have begun constructing futsal courts on their premises to capitalise on this growing phenomenon and draw in the crowds. They include 1Utama shopping mall in Petaling Jaya and QueensPark SportzCity & Boulevard lifestyle and recreational centre in Kota Baru, Kelantan.

It's become such a big deal that even the Government has decided to build more futsal facilities in the country. During the tabling of Budget 2012 last week, the Government acknowledged that futsal is “increasingly popular among the youth and sports enthusiast.”

“To promote this sport, the Government has built a total of 1,100 futsal courts nationwide, while another 527 courts are under construction.

“In view of the popularity of this sport, the Government will allocate RM15mil to build an additional 150 futsal courts to achieve the One Court for One Mukim' target,” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced in his budget speech.

With the Government's backing and its growing popularity, it's not difficult to understand why futsal has become the new craze in Malaysia both from the recreational and commercial perspectives.

The writer wishes that his friends would for once consider playing futsal near his home in Segambut, which, contrary to popular belief, is nowhere near Mordor.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com