In what is a significant first for Indian football, Bengaluru FC (BFC) has announced a sponsorship deal with Korean automobile manufacturer Kia Motors.
BFC’s new team jersey, which was unveiled here on Friday, will now carry the Kia logo on the front. The club would not comment on the value of the four-year-deal, but it is believed to be in the region of $7 million. Kia is scheduled to launch its cars in the Indian market next year.
BFC captain Sunil Chhetri hailed the partnership as a historic one for Indian football, given the high-profile nature of the sponsor. “It is a monumental day for us as Indian football fans. One of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers wants to come and collaborate with us. It shows how hard we’ve worked and how far we’ve come. It’s something extraordinary,” he said.
BFC CEO Parth Jindal added: “It is a validation of Indian football that a company that sponsors the Australian Open and the Europa League and has sponsored Atletico Madrid has chosen an Indian club. It is the biggest sponsor the ISL has got and will get in a long time.” BFC players Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Erik Paartalu were also present on the occasion.
