Only in Bengaluru: Even on IPL match days, football stadiums are packed
Bengaluru FC has seen a remarkable turnout of fans at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, even during major cricket events like the IPL. Attendance numbers have consistently increased, with over 21,000 fans attending a match against Kerala Blasters despite a competing cricket match. This trend raises questions about the growing popularity of football in India and the engagement strategies employed by the club.
- ▪On February 15, over 11,000 fans attended Bengaluru FC's match against Sporting Club Delhi during an India-Pakistan cricket clash.
- ▪Attendance grew to over 21,000 for a match against Kerala Blasters, despite it coinciding with the IPL.
- ▪Bengaluru FC's fan engagement strategies and affordable ticket pricing have contributed to the rising interest in football.
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On February 15, as India and Pakistan faced off in a marquee T20 World Cup clash in Colombo, more than 11,000 football fans assembled at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium to watch Bengaluru FC begin its Indian Super League (ISL) campaign against Sporting Club Delhi.An India-Pakistan clash – however frequent and uncompetitive it may have become in recent times – generally brings the whole country to a standstill. But this unwritten rule did not apply to those thousands of boisterous, football-hungry fans who had converged in the heart of the city.The following Sunday, when BFC took on NorthEast United FC, more than 13,000 thronged the venue despite another high-profile World Cup cricket match – between India and South Africa – being held on the same day.
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