Coronavirus: ISL club fan groups at work amidst lockdown uncertainty

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The supporters' clubs of Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have not been sitting idle during the lockdown period...

With a lockdown in place and with just Bundesliga offering live football action (started from the recently concluded weekend) due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, football fans have been mostly denied something that they turn to for a high.

The situation of the Indian football fanbase is not any different. Without football matches to base their activities around, they have turned to social media to keep the members of their community fully engaged.

Manjappada, the supporters of Indian Super League (ISL) club Kerala Blasters, has taken an extra step and continued their tradition of helping the society and contributing for a cause. After the supply of relief materials during the floods that hit Kerala two years ago, the Yellow Army fan group is now organising a Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) video game tournament - to enter the competition, the players were asked to show a donation receipt of a minimum of INR 100/- to either the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund or the PM Cares fund.

PES mobile registration for the Manjappada Tournament is closed now. Here is Final Donation figures that we donated to CMDRF and PM Cares. Thank you for all the support. @CMOKerala @PMOIndia @KirenRijiju @KeralaBlasters CMDRF - 1,60,268PM CARE'S - 23,118 #ManajappadaCares pic.twitter.com/Qpub73N3y2

Additionally, they have kickstarted an online chat show with former Kerala Blasters players. Somu Joseph, one of the core committee members of the fan group, says that more activities are being discussed, in case the lockdown period extends.

"We are organizing interactive games that can be played online. Some sub-groups conducted quiz competitions. As a responsible fan club, we are conducting a PES gaming tournament, the entry to which requires a donation to the Chief Minister's or Prime Minister's fund."

"We also have an ongoing Instagram live show, hosted by prominent TV anchor Khuri Irani, named Off the Pitch with Khuri. We had Wes Brown, Baldvinsson and Aaron Hughes, who did his first-ever social media live, on the show."

A post shared by Manjappada (@kbfc_manjappada) on May 15, 2020 at 1:10am PDT

Bengaluru FC supporters West Block Blues have also used the lockdown period to chat with prominent people related to the club. They have kickstarted a chat show - Fresh Off The Block - featured JSW Sports CEO Mustafa Ghouse in the first episode and up next, is their former manager Ashley Westwood.

Tune in. Episode 1 of #FOTBLive with the CEO of @jswsports, Mr. Mustafa Ghouse. You do not want to miss this one. #WeAreBFC pic.twitter.com/t0s8TSNCIz

Chennaiyin fan group Supermachans have been going LIVE with club officials to chat with them about how they're getting work done behind the scene. They've named their show - Behind The Dugout.

The most awaited episode of #BehindTheDugout kicks off tonight at 7 pm. Do not miss this conversation with @amoy_ghoshal , CTO of @ChennaiyinFC as we discuss scouting, player signings and all things technical. #SMLive #Supermachans pic.twitter.com/oOBy49u2le

Their other fan group, the B Stand Blues, are churning out podcasts to talk about what's been going on behind the scenes.

The 5th Episode of Chennaiyin Football Atti (INSIDE CHENNAIYIN FC Part II) is out now .Our boys Neeraj, Monish and Vinod are joined by three of our friends from @ChennaiyinFC - Harsh Shah, Akhil Prakash & Neel Jayaram to give us an insight of what happens inside our club! pic.twitter.com/I2WoSW4lgC

2020-05-18 10:00:05

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