Page 27 - The score

ADITI SARAWAGI
Music at

SPORTING

EVENTS

If there’s anything better than silence, it’s music. Add to it the event, during intervals and at the end too. The Indian Premier
buzzing energy of sports and sports fans, and you have epic League matches play music after every big hit or a wicket-it
theme songs bringing millions of people together singing the denotes overall entertainment instead of just a sport.
same tune. Sports has the power to bring together people of Playing the national anthem at the start of any sporting event
all castes and creed to cheer for one team or one country or
even a player. No age, colour or country comes into play when is also a tradition religiously followed across the globe and at
one is cheering for one’s team and music has even more power a lot of sporting events like cricket, football and even baseball.
when played at sporting events. Not only does it bind the fans The national anthem is played at all major events and even at
together but also keeps them energised to keep cheering their smaller college or community driven sporting events adding
to the universality of the matter. It is played in honour of the
favourite teams and players on.
country and to promote audience involvement and to invoke
Music has been used at sporting events since as far back as in the players a sense of patriotism, hence encouraging them
the Olympics in 1896 where background music was played. to play for the country and its people.
The ancient Greeks are known to use music widely during Not only theme songs but there are some popular songs which
festivals, tournaments and sporting events. Theme songs are
often also known as stadium anthems or arena anthems as are played during matches are We Will Rock You and We Are
they are played over the public address systems at sporting the Champions-they are commonly heard at sporting events
events at the start as well as during intervals. and have become cult classics in this genre. Some popular
anthems include the FIFA Anthem and the UEFA Champions
Music has been used in sporting events since thousands of League Anthem. Stadium anthems are usually characterised
years and with the spur in digital downloads and international with catchy rhythms and an upbeat tempo. They are usually
collaborations between artists of different countries, the inspired by genres like rock and roll, dance music or even rap.
craze regarding music at sporting events has seen a manifold Music is also used to build the energy of the fans and keep them
increase. These days each sporting event has its own theme integrated with the event. Music fires up the unenthusiastic
song and a new one is recorded each year. Audiences love the crowd and fuels the already excited fan. With music and its
theme songs and it is often released several weeks prior to the profound effect, there is an even higher amount of emotional
actual event to engage the spectators and build up a hype. This investment in the game. Be it the epic world cup song by Adnan
is also a clever marketing strategy wherein the anthems also Sami celebrating cricket or the various league level of sports
bring in money to the channel vis a vis record sales. Sometimes like Indian Premier League(IPL) or Indian Super League(ISL)-
teams record their songs, other times it’s channels promoting a they all have a different theme song for every year. These
sporting event, sometimes it’s the sports federation promoting songs are usually as popular as the tournament itself and have
an international event. Music is played at the beginning of the earned a place in every sporting fans life.

The Score Magazine 25
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