<br><div><br></div><div>the only negative thing about this is promotion of drinking alcohol, anyways nice approach, they should try for family food joints.<br><br></div>
'An article about Bengaluru FC in "http://outsideoftheboot.com"<br><br><h1>Bengaluru FC: A new hope for Indian Football</h1><p><br></p><br><p>It was a Sunday morning like no other. For once, European football wasn’t the foremost thing on my mind. Instead, the <em>OOTB</em> boys were going to make a trip to the stadium to (finally) watch our <a title="home" href="http://outsideoftheboot.com/magazine/">home</a>-town club.</p>
<p>Bengaluru FC is the newest addition to Indian football, and one that
has taken the most professional approach yet. The attraction the club
has drawn, the excitement it has created is unmatched in most of India
and especially the city of Bangalore (aka Bengaluru). The city, which
has always had a strong football following, finally has a football club
of its own.</p>
<p>The most frequently asked question about Indian football is “There
are a billion people, surely eleven can get together and form a decent
team?” Well as we all know, it isn’t that easy. But given that there are
a billion people, there is bound to be a strong following for the
“World game”, despite it being a cricket-loving nation. The city of
Bangalore itself has always had good football support. From pubs, to
sports cafes, to your very own couch, and onto social media post-match,
football has always been discussed among the masses in the city of
Bangalore. I, for one, have been a football follower nearly all my life.
This despite growing up in a cricket-loving environment. Football came
to me much before cricket did; in fact cricket never came to me and I
intend to keep it that way. But like me, most other football fans in
Bangalore, or indeed India, will probably name all of Chelsea’s recent
managers (a sizable feat given the revolving managerial door at the
Bridge), they will also probably name all of Manchester United’s top
scorers over the last few seasons, they would have no hesitation in
outlining Real Madrid’s tactical game plan against Barcelona, and
they’ll all understand jokes based on Luis Suarez biting Branislav
Ivanovic. This is the common trend of football support in India, the
traditional Premier League big four and the Spanish giants are greatly
followed and adored by millions. Ask these same people the defending
I-League champions, and you’re bound to get blank faces.</p>
<p>One can’t blame them though; it’s difficult for domestic Indian
football to grow when European leagues are given so much exposure.
There’s a good chance you’ll catch Crystal Palace taking on Hull City
live on ESPN, but the opening day of the I-League this season wasn’t
telecast anywhere. The preference to watch European football is also
understandable, the level of football and the competition is unmatched
in the World. But while watching Liverpool play Manchester United at <a title="home" href="http://outsideoftheboot.com/magazine/">home</a>;
or in a Sports cafe is immensely gratifying, watching a game unfold
live in front of your eyes with fellow supporters is an entirely
different experience. It is this aspect of football support that was
lacking among Bangaloreans, and it is this exact void that JSW’s
Bengaluru FC is attempting to fill (and doing a good job of it).</p>
<p>The market for football has always been there; but for most of the
individuals who could afford to tap the market, didn’t find it
profitable enough to do so. Jindal Steel Works (JSW) did take that leap
of faith and delivered to Bangaloreans their very own football club.
We’ve seen the togetherness and faithful support Indians have (just like
those in Europe) for their respective clubs, in the popular Indian
Premier League (cricket). Despite not being a cricket fan, watching
Royal Challengers Bangalore at the stadium was an experience to savour. I
naturally compared it to what Dortmund’s intimidating and passionate
support, or Liverpool’s faithful kopites but the sense of togetherness
in football is a whole different playing field.</p>
<p>This is what I have been able to experience with Bengaluru FC. A
football stadium that has long been deserted is filled with support,
stands that have never been occupied are now packed week after week, the
lowly gloom over the pitch at the Bangalore Football Stadium has been
lifted as thousands of fans sing in praise of Ashley Westwood, or
celebrate ex-Middlesbrough man John Johnson’s deadly headers. The
constant “BFC” chants remind the players that unlike most of the games
they’ve played in Bangalore, they’re now accompanied by thousands of
onlookers for this one. The excitement and popularity around a football
club in Bangalore is a dream come true.</p>
<p>When I made the trip for my first Bengaluru FC game (and the club’s
second ever encounter) vs Rangdajied United, I did so in an
auto-rickshaw. We were met by a huge crowd gathered outside the stadium
waiting to enter the stadium. The rickshaw driver has probably passed by
the stadium a thousand times without paying any attention. This was the
first time he witnessed a crowd and what seemed to be an abandoned
building for an outsider; decked in blue and white, the stadium now
stood out, images of Bengaluru FC all over and eager fans beaming with
excitement. It prompted him to ask me what exactly was going on. When I
explained that there was a Bangalore match, he seemed perplexed; “Isn’t
the cricket stadium all the way on the other end” he probably thought.
It was then that I had to explain to him that the city finally had a
football club. This is an example of the popularity of the sport. It is
well and truly the talk of the town, and for once it isn’t cricket.
Young 6-7 years olds are making trips to the stadium, chanting (Sean)
Rooney and Sunil Chhetri’s names. The popularity of an Indian football
club among young kids is rare for the country, something that was
missing from the previous generation. But the next generation of
football fans will have “FC Barcelona and Bengaluru FC fan” in their <a title="twitter" href="http://outsideoftheboot.com/twitter/">twitter</a>; handles. This is where football in the country is headed.</p>
<p>There has been a raging debate in Sports circles in India about why football hasn’t ever really grown? India is <a title="home" href="http://outsideoftheboot.com/magazine/">home</a>;
to the 3rd oldest football tournament in the World, but where did it
all go wrong? Below-par infrastructure, lack of importance, red-tapism
etc have all been cited as possible reasons for failure. But when you
realise that a country like Afghanistan can win a football tournament
with nothing more than passion and commitment, all excuses are just
that- excuses. Before trying to qualify for a World Cup, before trying
to attract big names, Indian first needs to clean up its domestic game.
It needs more professionally set up clubs in the line of Bengaluru FC,
Pune FC, Mumbai FC along with the already well set-up clubs like Mohun
Bagan & East Bengal. The intense promotion being done across the
city by Bengaluru FC is what every club should do. Raising the
popularity of the sport among the masses will bring the biggest change
to football in the country. More sponsors, better players, better
coaches and ultimately a better national team, all will divulge out of
professionally run clubs with good fan support and thriving youth
academies.</p>
<p>Bengaluru FC is sitting pretty at the top of the I-League with superb
displays on the football pitch, but they’ve set the real bench mark off
it.</p>
A Fan just messaged bengaluru fc to know if rooney was fit and they took his number only and Sean called him to tell about the news... Nice work by bfc
A Fan just messaged bengaluru fc to know if rooney was fit and they took his number only and Sean called him to tell about the news... Nice work by bfc
they don't go out of ideas. Unbelevable management team behind it.
A Fan just messaged bengaluru fc to know if rooney was fit and they took his number only and Sean called him to tell about the news... Nice work by bfc
Comments
<br><div><br></div><div>the only negative thing about this is promotion of drinking alcohol, anyways nice approach, they should try for family food joints.<br><br></div>
<p>Bengaluru FC is the newest addition to Indian football, and one that
has taken the most professional approach yet. The attraction the club
has drawn, the excitement it has created is unmatched in most of India
and especially the city of Bangalore (aka Bengaluru). The city, which
has always had a strong football following, finally has a football club
of its own.</p>
<p>The most frequently asked question about Indian football is “There
are a billion people, surely eleven can get together and form a decent
team?” Well as we all know, it isn’t that easy. But given that there are
a billion people, there is bound to be a strong following for the
“World game”, despite it being a cricket-loving nation. The city of
Bangalore itself has always had good football support. From pubs, to
sports cafes, to your very own couch, and onto social media post-match,
football has always been discussed among the masses in the city of
Bangalore. I, for one, have been a football follower nearly all my life.
This despite growing up in a cricket-loving environment. Football came
to me much before cricket did; in fact cricket never came to me and I
intend to keep it that way. But like me, most other football fans in
Bangalore, or indeed India, will probably name all of Chelsea’s recent
managers (a sizable feat given the revolving managerial door at the
Bridge), they will also probably name all of Manchester United’s top
scorers over the last few seasons, they would have no hesitation in
outlining Real Madrid’s tactical game plan against Barcelona, and
they’ll all understand jokes based on Luis Suarez biting Branislav
Ivanovic. This is the common trend of football support in India, the
traditional Premier League big four and the Spanish giants are greatly
followed and adored by millions. Ask these same people the defending
I-League champions, and you’re bound to get blank faces.</p>
<p>One can’t blame them though; it’s difficult for domestic Indian
football to grow when European leagues are given so much exposure.
There’s a good chance you’ll catch Crystal Palace taking on Hull City
live on ESPN, but the opening day of the I-League this season wasn’t
telecast anywhere. The preference to watch European football is also
understandable, the level of football and the competition is unmatched
in the World. But while watching Liverpool play Manchester United at <a title="home" href="http://outsideoftheboot.com/magazine/">home</a>;
or in a Sports cafe is immensely gratifying, watching a game unfold
live in front of your eyes with fellow supporters is an entirely
different experience. It is this aspect of football support that was
lacking among Bangaloreans, and it is this exact void that JSW’s
Bengaluru FC is attempting to fill (and doing a good job of it).</p>
<p>The market for football has always been there; but for most of the
individuals who could afford to tap the market, didn’t find it
profitable enough to do so. Jindal Steel Works (JSW) did take that leap
of faith and delivered to Bangaloreans their very own football club.
We’ve seen the togetherness and faithful support Indians have (just like
those in Europe) for their respective clubs, in the popular Indian
Premier League (cricket). Despite not being a cricket fan, watching
Royal Challengers Bangalore at the stadium was an experience to savour. I
naturally compared it to what Dortmund’s intimidating and passionate
support, or Liverpool’s faithful kopites but the sense of togetherness
in football is a whole different playing field.</p>
<p>This is what I have been able to experience with Bengaluru FC. A
football stadium that has long been deserted is filled with support,
stands that have never been occupied are now packed week after week, the
lowly gloom over the pitch at the Bangalore Football Stadium has been
lifted as thousands of fans sing in praise of Ashley Westwood, or
celebrate ex-Middlesbrough man John Johnson’s deadly headers. The
constant “BFC” chants remind the players that unlike most of the games
they’ve played in Bangalore, they’re now accompanied by thousands of
onlookers for this one. The excitement and popularity around a football
club in Bangalore is a dream come true.</p>
<p>When I made the trip for my first Bengaluru FC game (and the club’s
second ever encounter) vs Rangdajied United, I did so in an
auto-rickshaw. We were met by a huge crowd gathered outside the stadium
waiting to enter the stadium. The rickshaw driver has probably passed by
the stadium a thousand times without paying any attention. This was the
first time he witnessed a crowd and what seemed to be an abandoned
building for an outsider; decked in blue and white, the stadium now
stood out, images of Bengaluru FC all over and eager fans beaming with
excitement. It prompted him to ask me what exactly was going on. When I
explained that there was a Bangalore match, he seemed perplexed; “Isn’t
the cricket stadium all the way on the other end” he probably thought.
It was then that I had to explain to him that the city finally had a
football club. This is an example of the popularity of the sport. It is
well and truly the talk of the town, and for once it isn’t cricket.
Young 6-7 years olds are making trips to the stadium, chanting (Sean)
Rooney and Sunil Chhetri’s names. The popularity of an Indian football
club among young kids is rare for the country, something that was
missing from the previous generation. But the next generation of
football fans will have “FC Barcelona and Bengaluru FC fan” in their <a title="twitter" href="http://outsideoftheboot.com/twitter/">twitter</a>; handles. This is where football in the country is headed.</p>
<p>There has been a raging debate in Sports circles in India about why football hasn’t ever really grown? India is <a title="home" href="http://outsideoftheboot.com/magazine/">home</a>;
to the 3rd oldest football tournament in the World, but where did it
all go wrong? Below-par infrastructure, lack of importance, red-tapism
etc have all been cited as possible reasons for failure. But when you
realise that a country like Afghanistan can win a football tournament
with nothing more than passion and commitment, all excuses are just
that- excuses. Before trying to qualify for a World Cup, before trying
to attract big names, Indian first needs to clean up its domestic game.
It needs more professionally set up clubs in the line of Bengaluru FC,
Pune FC, Mumbai FC along with the already well set-up clubs like Mohun
Bagan & East Bengal. The intense promotion being done across the
city by Bengaluru FC is what every club should do. Raising the
popularity of the sport among the masses will bring the biggest change
to football in the country. More sponsors, better players, better
coaches and ultimately a better national team, all will divulge out of
professionally run clubs with good fan support and thriving youth
academies.</p>
<p>Bengaluru FC is sitting pretty at the top of the I-League with superb
displays on the football pitch, but they’ve set the real bench mark off
it.</p>