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Fans disappointed as city pubs cold shoulder FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup has begun, and football fervour has well and truly taken over the world.
Chennai
In Chennai, fans of the game have traded their club jerseys for the national ones and micro-managing their sleep schedules to enjoy the late kick-offs.
But what’s come as a major disappointment for most fans has been the lacklustre response to the World Cup from several restaurants, cafes and pubs all over the city.
“When the IPL was going on, every well-known and even random eatery or restobar had a plethora of offers and were screening every game. But for the biggest sporting event in the globe, none of these places are being supportive. Some of the luxury hotels only are advertising the screenings but at high rates.
At places like The Park in Nungambakkam or Park Hyatt in Guindy, it costs close to Rs 3,000 to 4,000 to sit through a match and just have a couple of beers and dinner despite the offers. That’s a steep price to pay,” said Jaykanth N, a copywriter in the city, who plays for his local football club. There are, however, some pubs
such as Sherlock’s, Sera – The Tapas Bar and the newly-launched Glee that are providing some succour to youngsters in the city.
“We are showing all the games until midnight, and there are multiple offers as well. It’s been only a few days, but the response has been great so far and we are finding that Chennai has an active football fandom fraternity. Even if they are stags, we are allowing them and making sure that the banter and celebrations don’t go overboard. As the tournament progresses, interest will only increase,” said Solomon Karmegam, from the management at Glee pub on Greams Road.
Gaming hub Arknemesis on Nungambakkam High Road and East Coast at Madras Square, Neelangarai are some of the other venues without alcohol to offer budget-friendly rates, But, it seems that most aficionados have decided to stick to watching the games at home with friends, or even arranging private screenings at resorts or open spaces. Manoj Karthik, an entrepreneur, said that he is planning a huge party for the knock-out rounds.
“After checking all the available options, my friends and I decided to take things into our own hands. We pooled in money and rented out a farm stay on the outskirts of Chennai where we will hoist a giant screen and projector. We will start a FB page soon for the event, and everyone’s invited free of charge, just for the love of the game!”
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