2nd April – Indian football’s day of shame

Come the 2^nd of April, Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata will turn into a concert venue and host the opening ceremony of the money spinning Indian Premier League (IPL). Many would wonder why a cricketing concert would take place at one of India’s premier football grounds with the Eden Gardens lying vacant. Of course, it is to protect the pitch of the grand stadium. So, then it is okay to destroy the pitch at Salt Lake Stadium? Raising that question would count as naivety – if Indian football officials bothered an iota about football pitches in the country, we wouldn't be languishing in the Stone Age in terms of football development.

I was particularly pained when I first heard the fabled Yubabharati Stadium would be used for the purpose.

I remember hearing about it the first time and wondered how the officials could allow such a thing. Then I realized the IPL is a money spinning machine and the head honchos of the ‘circus’, as I would term it have enough cash to topple governments  - so what’s there in convincing a few officials. Righteousness takes the back seat when money speaks. And why wouldn't the IPL officials not splash the cash to book the Yubabharati? It offers a seating capacity that no other venue in the country can offer and with the IPL being the most anticipated cricketing event of the year, it is certain to generate cash to swim in.

One positive I found in the report is that the floodlights will be used for the event. For a stadium that has had issues with the floodlights, this seems to be a welcome change. But the floodlights were tested first when Mohun Bagan played East Bengal in the semi finals of the IFA Shield. For the IFA to host the biggest football match in the country under untested lights is a sure enough sign that they need the cash. The other positive can be the crowd. With the stadium boasting a capacity of 1,20,000, even if half that number turn up, money will ring in the coffers of the BCCI and some of that money could be given for the development of the stadium, which is in dire need of it – and the cash strapped Bengal government is only interested in changing the name of the stadium rather than developing it.

But during this time, the I-League is running in full flow and with the Salt Lake Stadium in the hands of the BCCI, the three Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Prayag United  - all had to travel down to Kalyani to play their matches. The stadium at Kalyani doesn't have one-fourth the capacity of Salt Lake and it has an open stand – and it is 63 kilometers away from the city. The three giants might have been playing there home matches there but it seemed they were the away teams with so few people turning up.

Cricket lovers must be having a gala time – the opening ceremony for their favorite cricket extravaganza is nigh and it will be promoted by Shah Rukh Khan’s own production house and that too, at the biggest stadium in the country. The way things have shaped up is extremely disrespectful – towards the stadium, towards the game. But what’s the point cribbing? No one listens to the football fans anyway – the past years have taught us that.

Being a football fan, the least I can hope for is this is the last time the stadium is lent out for a carnival, the last time The Beautiful Game is embarrassed in the country. Although at this point, nothing would surprise me anymore. What’s next? Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday bash at the Yubabharati? 


DISCLAIMER: This article has been written by a member of the FootballWorld fraternity and represents the personal views of the writer and not of footballworld.co.in.
Posted by Subham Mitra on behalf of FootballWorld.