This is what the Viaplay expert tells VG in this interview.
He is in Vienna, closely following the Norwegian handball girls during the European Championship these days. On Wednesday evening, Norway concludes the group stage with a meaningless match against Switzerland:
He has played handball since he was a child. On his resume, he has 184 matches for the norwegian national team.And in everyday life, Erevik works as a goalkeeper coach at the Danish club Odense.
He has a love affair with handball.That is why he is concerned. The warning lights are flashing for several reasons, according to the 43-year-old:
- TV rights for the Champions League are not being sold
- players are not promoting themselves enough in the media
- Major clubs like Vipers have been threatened with bankruptcy
- Only teams from nine nations wont to participate in the women’s Champions League
Erevik also mentions how the stands in the domestic league are often sparse.And how many matches in the European Championship appear uninteresting.
– The discussion is about more than what is happening in the European Championship right now, but it is not good that it takes a long time into the last championship week before it starts to get exciting. I also find it concerning that many of the same countries have the opportunity to host championships year after year.
CELEBRATING: The Norwegian handball girls have won all their matches in the European Championship. Here after their victory over Denmark. Photo: Bjørn S. Delebekk,VG
Erevik has previously criticized the increase from 16 to 24 teams in this year’s european Championship.
– A new team may emerge now and then, but at the same time, more and more are falling off.These are teams that previously could put up a fight. neither Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, nor Spain are what they once were.
The Netherlands was for many years a good handball nation on the women’s side. Erevik labels them “embarrassingly weak” after seeing the team lose by a wide margin against Norway.
– I often hear that ”it’s good that handball is spreading and that more countries get to participate,” but I struggle to see how many of these countries have really developed. I don’t think many of the countries in Africa have really made so many strides in recent years, or that there are others than Brazil that have done so in South America.
– Handball is not a world sport, even though it is indeed played on all continents.
But Erevik is clear that players can also contribute more of themselves:
– Down here,we hear the girls say the same thing over and over at all press conferences. I don’t think that’s how they actually are.These are girls who actually have opinions and who want to contribute.They shouldn’t close themselves off.Last year,they weren’t supposed to sign autographs for fear of getting sick! What happens to interest and support if they end up sixth and seventh in a couple of championships in a row?
He believes the obligation does not lie with the players: Instead,it must,according to Erevik,be a culture where players are “allowed” to be available and have opinions – even if it creates disagreements.
He talks about how players in the Danish league do TV interviews just seconds before they run out and take throw-off in the game.
– The rebuttal is frequently enough “there is a reason we always win.” But I believe that the 0.2 percent it might cost is a good investment in terms of interest,development,and recruitment. It’s not dangerous to do a pause interview or participate in an extra press conference. The interest isn’t that huge. We’re not talking about the Premier league here.
– I become concerned when I see that the Champions League on the women’s side has teams from nine countries,but when wild cards are opened up,it’s only teams from those same nine countries that want to participate. This is the most prestigious competition at the club level out there.
Erevik points out how the TV rights for the Champions League have not been sold in Norway. In Denmark,they have only managed to sell one TV match a week to the station DR.
– It’s not just the media’s fault. It’s just as much about the EHF wanting to sell a product that is worth less than they think. And that is concerning.
px, 2000vw” data-track-element-type=”Article image fullscreen” data-track-name=”ImageFullscreen” decoding=”async” loading=”lazy” height=”3381″ itemprop=”image” sizes=”(min-width: 980px) 980px, 100vw” src=”https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=40&s=bc8e87f94b2690c59359490b1d02cb2c6e3c12c8″ srcset=”https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=40&s=bc8e87f94b2690c59359490b1d02cb2c6e3c12c8 40w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=80&s=9fb250154861e903872d275c010c6de3383d3519 80w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=100&s=c27fbc430124d210400beb39aa48b618c859861d 100w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=200&s=420d6344e050885300f3562e1306902b883cfc96 200w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=240&s=1312dc3a1a56ab7bfe58ba7c819e8d1aa33d21a7 240w,https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=480&s=415d68d8948fbbff4a59b18611a76ae21306126e 480w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=580&s=8bc794f96b108148965ef01c9f2e93368ed45928 580w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=720&s=0b59a7faa68dfe90505237c918c9a6d5ec177629 720w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=1080&s=31fe4c0d91eac4cc1a071582098fe99b42e704d8 1080w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=1440&s=e57c20b68b6f096d8962390f01e1a70a4cdc430d 1440w, https://akamai.vgc.no/v2/images/c28b67a2-a1a1-425d-a017-b3c3de92450a?format=auto&w=2160&s=6b49ae781aaed17c12ac4b1eca9f1fb25c8e41a1 2160w” style=”object-position:0% 0%” width=”5071″/>CRISIS CLUB: Vipers in Kristiansand has struggled immensely financially, despite fantastic results in recent years. Here is former chairman Peter Gitmark earlier this year. Photo: Tor Erik Schrøder / NTB
– In the league, our sport is not seen. It’s often friends and family of the players who are in the stands. additionally,we see how the team that has won the Champions League three out of the last four years (Norwegian Vipers) has been on the verge of bankruptcy twice in half a year.
– But it is indeed worth having this discussion, as the sport of handball faces major challenges. The lights are flashing red, believes the 43-year-old.
What strategies can handball governance bodies implement to enhance community engagement and visibility for the sport?
Ned when the handball community doesn’t take the initiative to promote itself. The more visible and engaging the players are, the greater potential there is for growth in the sport. Handball must evolve to attract a larger audience and create a vibrant atmosphere around the competitions. Without the players stepping up to participate more in media and community engagement, handball may struggle to maintain its relevance and appeal, especially when faced with other major sports vying for attention.
Erevik’s insights reflect a broader concern for the future of handball, highlighting the importance of a multi-faceted approach to promote the sport, from television rights to player engagement. As the sport continues to develop, the actions taken by both governance bodies and players will determine the future success and popularity of handball on the global stage.