Chirag United's future is in doubt.
Somnath_Sengupta
3 Points
The future is looking extremely bleak for current Durand Cup winners due to a clash between club officials and main sponsor Chirag Computers. Chirag Computers has been the main sponsor for United Sports Club (previously known as Ever Ready) since 2006-07 season. Chirag chairman Koustav Roy accused United Sports Club officials in a press conference on 6th June. Roy’s main complaint was despite Chirag United Sports Club being a limited company, his firm Chirag Computers is not getting an share of the profits. Alokesh Kundu, a United Sports Club official, on the other had is accusing Chirag Computers to be over stepping its duties as sponsors and trying to buy out the club. As it stands the future of the club as well as its players is looking unsure. Chirag Computers is even threatening to pull out as main sponsors and start a new club of its own.
United SC officials have submitted the legal papers to remove Chirag's name from the club's name. Looks like USC need to find a new sponsor soon, otherwise they'll not make a good team.
Another club from Bengal looks all set to bite the dust. <!-- s:( --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_sad.gif" alt=":(" title="Sad" /><!-- s:( -->
United SC officials have submitted the legal papers to remove Chirag's name from the club's name. Looks like USC need to find a new sponsor soon, otherwise they'll not make a good team.
Another club from Bengal looks all set to bite the dust. <!-- s:( --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_sad.gif" alt=":(" title="Sad" /><!-- s:( -->
Comments
And I also think what they are doing regarding Chirag are right. Chirag Computers are only the shirt sponsors, they should be resisted to own the club. In India, the sponsors tend to think that they own the club, which is a bad trend.
I don't think it is easy to find sponsors in Indian Football.
Also, they are moving to remove the name chirag which is a positive thing. Its awful name which always repels me in spite of having Sunil Chetri in their ranks
Tollygunge Agragami faced the same issue when they lost DTDC as sponsors. They didnt get a big sponsor after that and got relegated. United SC dont have any fan base and they are not exactly an attractive investment. This is worst time to change sponsors...they might lose their best players.
OUR BUREAU
Calcutta/New Delhi: The stand-off between officials and sponsors at Chirag United over ownership rights seems to have reached a point of no return on Tuesday.
The club officials said they were in no mood to budge under pressure and are preparing to part company with the sponsors. On Wednesday, they would write to the Indian Football Association (IFA) stating the club should be known as United Sports Club for the time being.
“We will write to IFA that the club has no sponsor now and it should be called as United Sports Club,” said an official. “We will duly inform them when we get a new sponsor,” he added.
The club, sponsored by Chirag for the past few seasons, is registered as United Sports Club with the IFA, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The sponsors said they were betrayed by the club officials and demanded a 50 per cent stake in the club and complete freedom to the coach to select the squad for the new season.
Chirag, who had earlier set a 48 hours deadline for the club officials to fall in line, seems to have realised the futility of trying to gain control over the club and is now looking for an opportunity to back another club in the city. It held a meeting with Tollygunge Agragami officials on Tuesday but could not reach an agreement.
Mantu Saha, a Tollygunge official, said the offer to rename the club as Chirag United was not acceptable. “The talks, however, would continue on Wednesday,” he informed.
The players seem to be backing the current employers in the hour of crisis. Lalkamal Bhowmick, the star of Chirag United last season, said he has several offers from other clubs but would like to stick around for some more time.
“ I want to stay at this club as it has given me respect and stood besides me when there were none,” Bhowmick said. His views were echoed by other senior footballers including midfielder Denson Devdas and goalkeeper Abhijit Mondal
That's the point.
But I still think, with mid-table ranking in the I-league and limited live coverage in the local market (plus chances of full visibility across the nation next season), getting sponsors will not be that difficult. Club officials though will have to hawk the team aggressively. As you have said, they should not prefix the sponsor's name with the club name -- it is not needed under the rules -- and build a strong fan base. The latter is the difficult part in Bengal, since loyalties are already firmly divided between the top three. Maybe relocating themselves away from Kolkata will help.
1. apart from siliguri, i doubt any other city has football stadium to host i league matches
2. Operating far from the competetive environment of Kolkata Maidan might be lil difficult