Advances in sports broadcasting are crucial in increasing the audience’s appreciation of sports achievements, says shuttler Aparna Popat, an Olympian and a Commonwealth medallist.
“There have been many sporting moments in 2023, but the way a sport is telecast goes a long way in how much a sporting moment stays with us and how lasting an impact it has. Individually, what these performances mean to the athlete, their loved ones, their teams, and the nation makes these moments incredible by themselves. Of course, some stand out more than others, and they will be recognised,” Aparna, a longstanding member of the Sportstar Aces Awards jury panel, said.
“There have been some great moments, especially with athletes winning gold medals or getting World no. 1 rankings or records to go along with them.”
Speaking about the process of selecting winners, Aparna, a 16-time national badminton champion, is happy to have a well-rounded perspective on every nominee before deciding who takes the honours.
“It still doesn’t get easy because we’ve had so many great performances by Indian sportspersons. There’s a wide array of sports to choose from. There are different considerations, from the age of the athletes to the impact the performance has had or just the scale of the performance itself. There’s a lot to think about and different perspectives to consider. It’s not easy by any measure, but it’s great fun.
“The jury members, their perspectives, and the experiences they bring to the meeting make things very interesting. The team from Sportstar and the kind of information they make available to us when heading into this meeting, and the fact that they’re there to clarify any doubts we may have when discussing potential winners, make the process a lot easier on us as the jury. This gives us a 360-degree picture of the performance, based on which we can decide who tops the category. Many things go into a successful performance and having them all considered and appreciated makes the final chosen list more special and the process more meritorious,” she explained. The winners of the 2024 edition of the Sportstar Aces Awards will be announced in Mumbai on February 8. When asked what her message to those being honoured is, Aparna said, “Just enjoy the victory. Huge congratulations for what you’ve achieved, for the hard work you’ve put in, and to all your teammates and family members. This is an award meant to encourage winners to keep achieving, and I hope it does just that.”
Comments
SHARE