Guernsey sweaters
Time for the Commonwealth Games to think Gen Z
On a flight home from a business meeting in Guernsey, I was sat across the aisle from members of the island’s Commonwealth Games team. I think I spotted sprinter Abi Galpin in her Guernsey Athletics sweatshirt, while an older member of the entourage - team manager? coach? - had his nose firmly in the Athletics Weekly world championships preview edition. My hard heart skipped a beat. Yes, the big nations will dominate the medal tables, but Birmingham 2022 is as much about a spotlight for the Commonwealth’s smaller territories and the world’s secondary and tertiary sports. But for how long?
Angela Stuart, secretary general of the Guernsey Commonwealth Games Association, tells me it has 28 athletes who will have the “extremely high honour” of competing for their island across seven sports. Some have medal hopes. One, Alastair Chalmers, is just back from Oregon22 having reached the semis for Great Britain in the 400m hurdles. Guernsey last won a medal, in any sport, in 1994. I’m rooting for them to break that run over the next eleven days.
“It’s very exciting. I’ve run PBs in both the 100m and 200m this season so I’m definitely in the form of my life and I’d like to make the semi-finals at least in Birmingham.” Bath University student and Guernsey athlete, Abi Galpin
The opening ceremony for Birmingham 2022 is this evening. These Games have flown under the radar. Last weekend there were far more newspaper column inches for the tenth anniversary of the London Olympics than there were previewing the coming action around the West Midlands and in the Lee Valley Velo Park. More than 100,000 tickets are still for sale. There was even an ad for them in a break in the first of the new series of First Dates (I know, guilty pleasure) on C4 last Thursday. First one I’d seen. Rather late for a final push.
A senior leader in one of the Games’ marquee sports has told me they think the days of the Commonwealths are numbered, and that Victoria 2026 might be their final edition. I don’t disagree with their concerns - the declining importance of the Commonwealth itself as a geopolitical confection, the crowded sporting calendar and the high cost of hosting the Games - but I’m not so pessimistic.
The new chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Katie Sadleir, has been refreshingly open about the need for the event to modernise in her first year in office. Only athletics and swimming are now considered sacrosanct as part of the Games schedule. New hosting models are under consideration. Helpfully, Birmingham has failed to deliver its planned athlete village, so will inadvertently demonstrate that an expensive central accommodation hub is unnecessary. And, intriguingly, esports have been invited to create their own showcase competition next weekend.
“The future is all up for grabs.” Katie Sadleir
A British fan in Oregon for the World Athletics Champs gently chided me for writing in the last Sport inc. that the stadium was full for evening sessions. By his estimation it was only at 70% capacity for the US team’s clean sweep in the men’s 100m final. If he’s right, I blame cunning TV execs for my mistake, their camera angles carefully mapped to mask empty seats.
There will be a similar broadcast challenge for many sports in Birmingham, possibly even for athletics in the revamped and temporarily enlarged Alexander Stadium. At least the sport is ring-fenced. International federations for other sports that are clinging onto Commonwealth Games slots should quake if their venues are sparsely attended.
A process is currently running for sports to request a place at Victoria 2026 next time round. The deadline for submissions is 19 August. Expect a lot of interest from those eager to raise their profiles and be part of Sadleir’s revitalisation. The likes of lawn bowls, squash, judo and wrestling will be acutely aware that they are under pressure from activities with far greater appeal to Gen Z*. And rightly so. While there is an element of social enterprise about the Games, ultimately consumer dollars must have the final say.
And as for Guernsey (below) and the other small teams? The Games are right now. Their future shape can wait for tomorrow. Bring ‘em on!
* judo and wrestling have both failed to make the initial list of sports for 2026
Third-ranked millions
Birmingham 2022 is up against both the climax of the women’s football Euros and the start of the Premier League. Even the EFL kicking off tomorrow with Huddersfield v Burnley. Its three leagues are in a financial mess, emphasised by Derby County’s points deduction and relegation to League One last season. It remains to be seen just what Derby’s wage bill might be in the club’s new tier of competition, but the spread of team budgets across League One is startling - from around £2m for the season to about £10m. The best paid players in the division earn over £1m, so half the total playing budget of the most financially constrained clubs. Salary caps anyone?
On brand and on message
“Originally I thought my job was to run. No, your job is to sell shoes. And the more you do it, the more they will pay you.” Noah Lyles on breaking Michael Johnson’s US 200m record to win gold at the World Championships. Clue: he’s not sponsored by Hotter
Face-off legends
What is it with mascots that make even the most senior people in global sport lose all their dignity? Here’s Legend the Bigfoot with a heavyweight athletics leader. One of their faces changed to protect the foolhardy. At least Oregon22’s Legend didn’t drop Jake Wightman when he gave him a celebratory piggyback. The Brit athlete’s bid for treble gold this summer could have ended there and then. Remember Berlino the Bear and Jamaican hurdler Melaine Walker back in 2009? Watch again here: Berlino
Playing solitaire
Only one solitary medal for France at Oregon22, a mere two years out from the Paris Olympics. More on this next week. GB’s seven medal haul equalled France, Germany, Italy and Spain combined.
Anniversary clash
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