KOLKATA: “We would never sell our club. We will always go by what our fans and members say. They want investors to come but keeping the dignity of the club intact will be our priority. Our members will strive hard to run the club, come what may.”
That was Debabrata Sarkar, “senior official”, Quess (emphasis ours) East Bengal FC, reacting to the news that the controlling stake of Mohun Bagan AC – his storied club’s principal rivals in Kolkata – had been sold to Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group, also the owners of Indian Super League franchise ATK.
“We will go forward keeping in view the club’s legacy. We want an investor who can preserve the identity of the club, which can run for generations and keep future intact. Hopefully we will be successful,” Sarkar told PTI.
“It’s hard to say what happens next season. You have just boarded the train, we will see when the next stop comes,” he further told the newswire.
The next stop will of course be Benguluru-based Quess Corp jettisoning the poisoned chalice that has been its investment in East Bengal pretty much from day 1. Why? While it acquired a 70% stake in the football team, the club remained outside its control. In real terms therefore, about all that the technological and business services provider could extract from the investment was a branding opportunity. Bur the male demographic that make up the club’s faithful can hardly be termed as the ideal TG for Quess. The example of Kingfisher beer, the club’s earlier title sponsors, are a case in point here. An ideal fit so to speak. So if branding was all that the association offered Quess, it was always a doomed relationship.
Going forward therefore, the reality on the ground is that East Bengal FC will break the Quess alliance at the end of this season.
So first off, there is a big financial hole that will have to be bridged.
Second is that with Mohun Bagan moving up into the ISL from next season, with it will also go the highlight fixture of the I-league – the “Kolkata derby” games between the two historically bitter rival sides.
In fact, Sunday’s clash between the arch-rivals will be the penultimate derby of this I-League season.
With no Kolkata derby for the fans to get emotionally invested in and no sponsor money of any significance expected, just what does Sarkar have in mind for next season when he talks up “legacy”. To SportzPower, it all appears a load of hot air, seen from this perch. This website would of course be willing to eat humble pie if events prove otherwise.
Meanwhile, speaking for Mohun Bagan, then club’s assistant secretary Srinjoy Bose refused to accept that the club has lost its identity by selling out to RPSG. “No. We are a supporter-based club and we would not do anything which would embarrass our supporters,” Bose told Telegraph India.
There were congratulatory statements from the All India Football Federation as well around ISL getting its first fan-based legacy club.
“I am certain this is going to be one of the most historic developments in the annals of Indian footballing history. I commend the authorities of both clubs for displaying vision, I congratulate both sets of fans and wish them a happy and prosperous ‘marriage’,” AIFF general secretary Kushal Das said.
Sourav Ganguly, BCCI president and minority stakeholder in ATK, posted on his official Twitter handle @SGanguly99: “A momentus partnership for Bengal football. I have no doubt ATK and Mohun Bagan will be torchbearers of moving Indian football forward together.@IndSuperLeague…”
Former India captain Baichung Bhutia told IANS: “It’s good that Mohun Bagan is getting a good buyer but I think the colour and name has to be kept and the logo. Their history is very rich. It’s good that RPSG Group is buying it, they are a very professional company. But I hope that they can completely use the Mohun Bagan colour, logo and jersey. It should be maroon and green.”
“In fact, I had advised Sanjiv Goenka to buy Mohun Bagan and run the club together. That was the first time I told it to them. There was some issue with pricing and ATK felt it was a bit too much,” Bhutia, who has played for the club, told the newswire.
