Euro 2004 Has Huge East Asian Fan Base

The Euro 2004 soccer tournament is just beginning, and already, it has made some history. It is the most popular bet in parts of East Asia, and in Burma, people are installing illegal satellite dishes to watch the games. The Thai government may even get 30% of Liverpool FC after the tournament.

In Burma, it is illegal to have a satellite dish. The nasty little tinpot dictators who have been abusing the people for years apparently feel threatened by Viacom's MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon. Wisely, the government is not making a fuss over dishes that don't belong to political trouble-makers -- at least until the end of Euro 2004.

Over in Thailand, things are better, if stranger. It is illegal to bet on sports in Thailand, so Thai gamblers have crossed into Cambodia to lay wagers at casinos run by Thai citizens (which, if nothing else, means Pol Pot completely failed). Those who monitor this sort of thing believe that 0.5% of Thailand's GDP will be wagered on the matches. The government is so worried that it is setting extra security at the Cambodian border to keep a lid on people leaving with lots of cash.

One might feel some sympathy for the government and its anti-gambling efforts were it not for the fact that Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister, recently tried to buy 30% of Liverpool in the English premiership. His plan was to run a lottery to raise the money. Perhaps, he could legalize gambling and tax it -- he could pick up Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City by the end of the summer.

It is difficult to say why the fan base in southeast Asia for European soccer is so strong. There is the ex-pat factor, but that hardly explains the numbers. More likely, the local variety of the game isn't up to European standards, and the local fans are very knowledgeable. European marketing hasn't hurt. There are lessons here for American baseball, basketball, football and ice hockey to say nothing of the US soccer crowd. But they are probably too proud to learn them.


© Copyright 2004 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.


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