Great News

The world of Jai-Alai is enveloped in a deep crisis. Hundreds of jobs disappeared with the closing of most US frontons. The remaining few frontons barely survive in deplorable conditions.

In 1988, 500 or more Jai-Alai players worked in the various frontons. As a result of the 1988 strike the closing of US frontons has been a constant reality, sort of a domino effect.

When looking for explanations, it is tempting to over-simplify by concluding that the strike was the root cause of such a debacle. There is no doubt that the decline has taken place since the labor dispute. However, the obvious question is If the strike had not taken place, would the US Jai-Alai frontons have maintained the prior level of assitance and wagering? Would the casinos, new types of wager, etc not have caused the demise that is attributed to them?

The strike was the trigger, the starting shot of an uncontrolled race to close the frontons. An era was due to end. Those were different times. The time of the frontons in the various capitals of Spain. The era of Cairo and Alexandria. Of China. Cuba and Mexico. Philippines. All have disappeared but Jai-Alai, Cesta Punta, is still very much alive here and now. The most spectacular modality of Jai-Alai, the most Universal, still preserves its appeal. It needs to be marketed and propagated. Although not with obsolete models such as those of US Jai-Alai, based on the pari-mutuel industry, competing with dog and horse tracks. Not to mention casinos.

Paradoxically, even though US frontons continue to employ the majority of Pelotaris, the Cesta Punta industry has found its nexus in the Basque Country where by stretching the Summer season, it generates enough activity for two companies simultaneously (by the way, best players of the two companies will play against each other this season, great news).

Currently, Jai-Alai is in a time of impasse, agonizing in Florida, sheltered in the summer venues. However, let us not be nostalgic, lamenting the past. America, the American Jai-Alais, as we have known them, will be no more. The mine is dry. A system based on wagering, in which the greatness of the sport was non-existent, has vanished. A giant with clay footing.

Going forward, Cesta Punta as a spectator sport has to find its niche in a market that allow, at minimum, a small group of elite players to earn a living with dignity. Simply as its the case in other sports.

It is possible that the pari-mutuel system wager model may be recreated -in fact, it appears that the there is a possibility that the French will attempt to do. And even in the Philippines. That would be good news. However, the best development in Jai-Alai has been that the company Master Jai created its own production company. We live in an era of technological advancements in which the media is critical to the propagation of a speciality that is contrastingly attractive but has been neglected by the media. That dependency is over. The capability to record tornaments, selecting and developing them to broadcast without reliance on third parties, without geographic limitations, opens the doors to a future in which the coexistence og wagering and spectacle would be possible. I do not know if a production company dedicated to Jai-Alais is the answer to the current crisis but if it is a reason for hope. It is certainly great news.