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Whither the 'Blue Revolution'?

Cricket World Cup doesn't sell team jerseys in India in as big numbers as FIFA mega event or club uniforms do. Adit Ganguly finds out why

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Cricket World Cup doesn't sell team jerseys in India in as big numbers as FIFA mega event or club uniforms do. Adit Ganguly finds out why

The advertisers are ready, so are the roadside vendors and the store managers of a sportswear giant can't wait for the cricket crazy Indian fan to come to their store. After all, there's a cricket World Cup coming up and it's time for the 'Blue Revolution'

These big brand stores and street side vendors both sell football jerseys in hordes during the FIFA World Cup or the attire of famous clubs during the season and off it too. So cricket, being a 'religion' in this country, should outsell the football jerseys, right? Wrong.

Last year, with FIFA World Cup about to begin, the social network sites, colleges, even general thoroughfares were punctuated by people donning the perennially favourite yellow of Brazil, red of Spain, blue and white Argentina, the German white and black etc.

However, while cricket World Cup will be the talk of the season in every nook and corner, it won't be colour coded. That is not how cricket is followed here or anywhere else for that matter.

Jersey needs profile

Like the football team colours, imitation of Team India jerseys are being sold — for sums as less as Rs150 — at popular roadside outlets in the city (Linking Road, Khar, Lokhandwala, Andheri, Colaba Causeway etc).

Those who can afford the originals can get them by shelling out little less than a whopping Rs 5,000 at the closest Nike showroom. Despite India being the defending champions, shopkeepers and whole sale vendors say that India fans are not keen because somehow the blue jersey is not considered a necessity to reflect their support for the team.

Prahlad Kakkar, leading ad film director, puts it succinctly. "These people (advertisers) will just come up with an ad campaign for Team India a month before the tournament, put up billboards at every corner and then hope that people will come and buy the team shirt. It doesn't work like that.

"Owning a team jersey is like owning a temple. It's a hallowed land. That jersey needs to have a profile. Look at the money the likes of Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid put into their marketing. The Indian audience feels nothing towards the shirt when he sees Dhoni, Kohli & Co. on the television. They need a complete change in marketing. You can't expect people to just wake up and go and buy a jersey. It doesn't work that way," reiterated Kakkar.

It's about being cool

Atul Srivastava, managing director of Gaames Unlimited which handles merchandising for the upcoming World Cup, compares the cricket jersey scene with European football.

"Football fans wear their team jersey with pride. It becomes an identity. People wear them to work, to parties etc. Do you get to see that with team India jerseys and IPL jerseys? No.

"The fan just doesn't feel that kind of connect when it comes to buying the Team India jersey. What happens after the World Cup? Will the fan wear it in the months of May, June? I don't think so. But do you see a Manchester United fan stop wearing the red jersey if they don't win anything in a season. That's exactly what I'm talking about," says Srivastava.

For Srivastava, cricket may be the most popular sport. But it doesn't seem to be the most followed sport in the country. "Despite these football teams changing their jersey every year, you still see the die hard fan wait for it to be available for purchase. For them, the jersey means everything. It gives them an identity."

Also, following European football clubs is considered an in thing among the youth. It helps a youngster make a statement by proclaiming loyalty to a club. Indian cricket team and to some extent IPL teams haven't been able to do it so far.

Adds Srivastava, "You judge a football fan by the club he/she supports. A football fan makes a statement to those who follow football about what they believe in. These clubs have an identity that takes years to build on. You just don't see that in cricket. How often do you see a Mumbai Indians fan make fun of a Chennai Super Kings fan?"

Ind vs Pak buzz

There's no long-term planning on a big scale, come to the streets and its the same story. While the fake jerseys of Team india have begun to appear, they are yet to show up in big numbers.

For Prajapati Mahindra, who runs a shop near the Khar telephone exchange, selling during the tournament (beginning Feb 14) makes sense. "It's way different from the FIFA World Cup. People do know that the World Cup is less than three weeks away, but they will come to the shops only when the tournament starts. With football you have many teams and fans like to show off however when it comes to cricket, we have to hope that India does well in the tournament," says Mahindra, who has been in this business for last six years.

For the few who root for other teams, online websites seem to be the best option. On the streets, it's Australia and Pakistan that make the most business. And the yellow of the team from Down Under is cricket's equivalent of Brazil's yellow.

"The colour yellow is Australia's biggest asset. It gives a positive vibe, you feel energised just by seeing it. That's their biggest USP," says Srivastava.

When it comes to Pakistan, some vendors like to play it safe. "We don't want trouble with the police. We chose not to sell Pakistan jersey at our shop," says Ashok Kumar Gupta, who sells shirts at Colaba Causeway.

Another vendor at fashion street Khan, who refused to give his full name, says he cannot wait for the India versus Pakistan match on February 15.

"We begin our campaign against Pakistan. We couldn't have asked for better match for our business. We sometimes sell more Pakistan shirts selling than the Indian ones. Right now there is no buzz. But just wait for a few days before the World Cup begins," says Khan.

Crest and trough

For Gautam Karhadkar, a die-hard South Africa fan, cricket jerseys do not reflect the history and tradition of teams the way football club uniforms do.

"I don't think jerseys and the crest hold as much importance in cricket as they do in football. There's history and tradition which the football fans connect to. To play for the shirt is important. Not so much in cricket. Even in Australia and South Africa, their rugby teams sell more jerseys than cricket. It's because cricket has never been a sport which associates itself with jerseys and colours. Also, the official jerseys are expensive.

The Delhi based lawyer adds that retirement of legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and Rahul Dravid is a factor too.

"Now, Indians don't identify with cricketers like they used to eariler. Dhoni and Kohli don't evoke the same level of passion in fans that Tendulkar or Ganguly did. So why buy their shirts? Also, I think a cricket team doesn't face the same upheavals and ins and outs like football sides. No transfer windows. So even a shirt bought in 1998, or 2003, suffices. Since it's an India jersey, it will do."



Money Matters

Price of an imitation jersey: Rs 150-300
'Semi-original' shirts: Rs 500-1,000
Price of the original team India shirt at a Nike Showroom: Rs 4,995
Nike also sells team India shirts priced at Rs 3,795 and Rs 1,895.
Manufactures have also made available the shirt for women with the jersey being priced at Rs 3,295
Caps and shirts on the ICC store are priced from Rs 699 to Rs 1,500
 

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