Festivus: Game On

posted in: Features

Call me old fashioned, but I believe that if you’re going to go through all the preparation and fine-tuning required of festival going, then you should concentrate on the main event: the music. But it seems that those crazy Brits have another opinion. Earlier this month, Glastonbury organizers announced that “football” fans will be able to watch England play in the FIFA 2010 World Cup being held in South Africa throughout the festival.

England will face off against Slovenia on Wednesday, June 23th and the event will be broadcast live on large screens at the Pyramid Stage beginning at 3PM. Should England qualify to move on, their next 16 games will also be broadcast, though not from the Pyramid Stage since it will be occupied by bands. Last Weekend, Isle of Wight also screened matches from the tournament, including England’s opening match against the good old US of A on Saturday. Now, it’s common knowledge that festivals are hurting from the economic downturn. The costs can add up and, when coupled taking time off from work, many music fans are making the decision to sit out this year. However, by incorporating sports into their repertoire, festivals are trying to offer additional incentive to potential attendees. The question is, will it really tip the scales that much?

In an effort to connect with artists and fans even further (and reignite the spark?) Bonnaroo streamed 12 performances from last week’s festival live on YouTube. Festivals are looking for new and innovative ways to keep fans engaged and coming back for more. So what do you think? Should festivals stick to their tried and true format of music and the arts, or start branching out to feature different forms of entertainment? Let us know in the comments.