We are stranded on a small platform supported by a crane, 150 feet in the air, just outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. We get a bird’s eye view from the RCB bold box, that lets 16 fans get a dizzying glimpse of the on field action. As Virat Kohli and KL Rahul stitch a vital innings, one of the fans is trying to get a signal to check the scores. “I think they have scored two boundaries in this over, I hope they get over 180. It is vital to leave us with a chance in the game,” he says, even as the rest of us look at the spectacular view from the box.
Back in the stadium, as Shane Watson wallops a half volley off Umesh Yadav to the boundary ropes for six, software engineer Mahesh Anand and his friends roar in delight, chanting RCB RCB for every aerial shot and I see a sea of red and black RCB flags fluttering in the stadium. There is also a small section of supporters for the visiting Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Wonder what makes these fans support cricket clubs created only eight years, with as much passion and gusto rivalling the passion football fans have for popular clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United.
Pradeep S, a Bollywood enthusiast, loves cricket and is a fan of KKR. “I support them since I am a huge fan of Shah Rukh Khan and supporting a team he owned was a sort of my homage to the superstar. I have rooted for the team all these years, including the first couple of years, when they suffered from bad form and a host of controversies. I feel that things have been much better in the last three years and hope that the Knight Riders lift the trophy for a third time this year.”
He adds, “I liked the Chennai Super Kings as well. I feel that it was unfair that the teams were penalised for the illegal activities of their owners.”
For businessman Mahesh Rao, support for the RCB is due to the presence of big hitters AB de Villers and Chris Gayle. “I cannot support them when they perform well against India. The IPL offers me an opportunity to pick sides based on the individuals I like to watch. It helps that they play for Bangalore though.”
Away from the executive stand, Sunil. K, one of the many vendors who sells flags and jerseys outside the stadium says, “Initially, we would see people supporting teams such as the Mumbai Indians and KKR. With the advent of big hitters such as Gayle and Kohli, the RCB fan base has increased exponentially. I sell more than 500 jerseys every match day. As far as personal choices go, I like the huge sixes and support RCB too. I hope that Dhoni's team wins the trophy in case RCB does not make it.” Danish Sait, a popular RJ and the man behind Nags, a series of funny webisodes that takes a look at the off screen action for the RCB and points out, “In my stint for the IPL, I have realised that professional sport is a very tough job and involves a lot of hard work and effort. Support to an IPL team is influenced by many factors. Bengaluru is a city that loves sports and that partially explains the popularity of the RCB team. Another factor that influences choices is the players in the team. If your favourite player is in the team, you will support them for sure.”
Sumati Krishna, a psychologist says, “Unlike international sporting events, where one would mostly support their country, club-based sports draw on history and a good crop of players to attract supporters. Successful teams always end up getting more fans. At a personal level, I have supported Mumbai Indians for many years now, despite being based in Bengaluru, since I am a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar.”
