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"We have signed Bhaichung" and other major news as the PLS franchises reveal their marketing strategies
At the end of the auction , PLS franchisees spoke on their marketing plan and gave an insight on the road ahead...
31-Jan-2012 2:20:00 AM
By Arkaprabha Chakraborty
Goal.com
At the conclusion of the PLS overseas player and coach auction at Kolkata's Taj Bengal, franchisee representatives were collectively asked to define their marketing strategies to the press.
While Kolkata, Durgapur and Siliguri kept their cards close to their chest, Barasat went on an aggressive campaign right from the start while Howrah also revealed bits and pieces.
Kolkata was tackled head-with regard to the rumours that they'd roped in Sourav Ganguly to be their brand ambassador asking as to why, if at all they had, they wanted a cricketer to endorse a football franchise.
While evading the question for the most part, the Camellia Group representative said that "We did not say that we had [signed Ganguly as an ambassador]. But it isn't necessary to see anyone as a cricketer or a footballer. Rather, see them as a representative icon of Kolkata."
When asked about their icon player, Robbie Fowler, whom they netted for $530,000, they claimed that they were pleased with his signature given that it gives them an opportunity to target the Liverpool fans in the City of Joy.
When pressed for a team name, they admitted that they had not decided on one yet, but said that, "It will definitely have the words 'Camellia' and 'Kolkata' in it."
When Howrah was asked about their campaigning strategy, they admitted that they did not have much planned citing that the franchises were told that they had won their bids only yesterday, but they had already come up with a name! Somewhat unusually, they have chosen 'Howrah Manchester Sports', apparently invoking the name of the legendary footballing city to strike fear into their opponents' hearts.
It is perhaps odd then that they chose to buy, at great cost (for $800,000 from a base price of $715,000), Robert Pires, the legendary winger of Manchester United's fierce rivals Arsenal.
Durgapur had little to say except for everything was "in the works" as they didn't want to reveal much at this stage.
Siliguri too had little to say except for the promise that they "looked to develop all sports in North Bengal and especially football."
But Barasat's owners, the Uro Infra Realty Pvt. Ltd. group, just like they made everyone stand up and take notice with their whopping Rs. 23 Cr. bid for the franchise, grabbed eyeballs again by outlaying their marketing plans.
They aggressively claimed they would do everything they could to make Barasat PLS' team the best team and to that effect they dropped their bombshell announcement. They had signed Bhaichung Bhutia to play for their franchise along with a few other young players from the North-East.
They said that they were confident the trio of (icon player) Hernan Crespo, (coach) Teitur Thordarson and legendary former India captain Bhaichung would have enough star power to make their franchise one of the biggest and most followed. Not only did they intend to tap into the Barasat market but also the Kolkata market as much as they can.
They went on to say that they would have a grand unveiling at a five-star hotel in Kolkata and invited all the journalists present. Barasat have well and truly thrown down the gauntlet. How will the other franchises respond? Let us wait and see...
While Kolkata, Durgapur and Siliguri kept their cards close to their chest, Barasat went on an aggressive campaign right from the start while Howrah also revealed bits and pieces.
Kolkata was tackled head-with regard to the rumours that they'd roped in Sourav Ganguly to be their brand ambassador asking as to why, if at all they had, they wanted a cricketer to endorse a football franchise.
While evading the question for the most part, the Camellia Group representative said that "We did not say that we had [signed Ganguly as an ambassador]. But it isn't necessary to see anyone as a cricketer or a footballer. Rather, see them as a representative icon of Kolkata."
When asked about their icon player, Robbie Fowler, whom they netted for $530,000, they claimed that they were pleased with his signature given that it gives them an opportunity to target the Liverpool fans in the City of Joy.
When pressed for a team name, they admitted that they had not decided on one yet, but said that, "It will definitely have the words 'Camellia' and 'Kolkata' in it."
When Howrah was asked about their campaigning strategy, they admitted that they did not have much planned citing that the franchises were told that they had won their bids only yesterday, but they had already come up with a name! Somewhat unusually, they have chosen 'Howrah Manchester Sports', apparently invoking the name of the legendary footballing city to strike fear into their opponents' hearts.
It is perhaps odd then that they chose to buy, at great cost (for $800,000 from a base price of $715,000), Robert Pires, the legendary winger of Manchester United's fierce rivals Arsenal.
Durgapur had little to say except for everything was "in the works" as they didn't want to reveal much at this stage.
Siliguri too had little to say except for the promise that they "looked to develop all sports in North Bengal and especially football."
But Barasat's owners, the Uro Infra Realty Pvt. Ltd. group, just like they made everyone stand up and take notice with their whopping Rs. 23 Cr. bid for the franchise, grabbed eyeballs again by outlaying their marketing plans.
They aggressively claimed they would do everything they could to make Barasat PLS' team the best team and to that effect they dropped their bombshell announcement. They had signed Bhaichung Bhutia to play for their franchise along with a few other young players from the North-East.
They said that they were confident the trio of (icon player) Hernan Crespo, (coach) Teitur Thordarson and legendary former India captain Bhaichung would have enough star power to make their franchise one of the biggest and most followed. Not only did they intend to tap into the Barasat market but also the Kolkata market as much as they can.
They went on to say that they would have a grand unveiling at a five-star hotel in Kolkata and invited all the journalists present. Barasat have well and truly thrown down the gauntlet. How will the other franchises respond? Let us wait and see...
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