Non-partisan fans fire Kerala’s soccer fever

Kerala Blasters remain an enigma. They were runners-up in the Indian Super League’s inaugural edition but have not proved to be as consistent as say FC Goa or Atletico de Kolkata. The franchises from Goa and Kolkata have reached the semi-finals or final of both the previous editions of the ISL. But Kerala Blasters floundered in the 2nd Hero ISL and did not reach the last four.

In the ongoing 3rd ISL, they have started indifferently; losing both their opening matches, but their popularity remains undiminished

In ISL-3, spectators in Kolkata have declined but Kerala Blasters’ popularity remains intact. Over 55,000 (the most till now) watched them at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi in their first home match against Atletico de Kolkata. The Blasters lost 0-1 and are at the bottom of the table but their fan following is still massive. Why does this happen

In all the other football hubs of India, Bengal, Goa, Bengaluru, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram, passion for local teams is paramount. Spectator interest declines if their favourite team is not winning. It has been noticed that if either East Bengal or Mohun Bagan are not faring well in the I-League, even their ardent fans stay away and attendance declines.

In contrast the fans in Kerala love football more than involvement with local clubs. This non-partisan approach to the game is unique in Kerala a trend that has persisted for many decades.

Football has flourished for several decades in Kerala especially in the Malabar region. Long before the state was established on November 1, 1956, football was a popular sport. Viewership for the game has always been considerable.

During the 1960s and seventies over a dozen national level tournaments were organised in different cities of Kerala in a span of four months. In these tournaments local teams Kerala Police, Titanium, SBT Travancore, Keltron and Premier Tyres got massive support but the fans would turn out in large numbers even if local clubs were not involved or had been beaten.

FC Kochin formed in 1997 were also popular wherever they played in India. Yet within a decade, they folded up due to financial problems. Kerala’s institutional teams have withered away and are not developing talent in the state.

This has been a recurring paradox in Kerala football. The residents are passionately fond of football, but no local club team has lasted for long. Due to the Premiership’s popularity Indian fans nowadays also want to identify with their home teams. Bengaluru FC’s success in attracting a young generation of middle class professionals as fans, many of whom are converts to the game after watching the Premiership, shows that a local support base can be built.

Fans in Kerala have missed this identity with a local team except for brief periods of domination by Kerala Police (1990-1992) and FC Kochin (1997-2004). Kerala Blasters have now filled this vacuum and helped to resurrect the passion for football amongst the football fans in Kerala, hence the packed stadiums. But can they sustain it Even diehard fans get frustrated if their team keep losing.