India, as a football market, has great potential and Bundesliga giant Borussia Dortmund (BVB) wants to reach out by sending a legends team and also making a partnership with an Indian football club.
Carsten Cramer, managing director of BVB, on Friday confirmed that the legends game could happen in India next year.
Latest by next year
“The legends game is one we are on our way and could happen latest by next year. We have to make the decision of where to play and with whom – will it be a local legends team or international legends team.
“When we arrive with a legend or a professional team the crowd needs to be there. But for this to happen we need to be well prepared. It is a target definitely,” Cramer said.
The 2010-11 and 2011-12 Bundesliga champion club is looking for a partner club in India, after having signed partnerships in Thailand, China and Malaysia.
Not done by rumours
“I visited two clubs and don’t want to talk about things that are not signed yet. Our business is not done by rumours, it is done by facts and commitment. At the moment, I won’t bring more rumours to the table, but yes we are talking to clubs and then decide the right approach,” Cramer confirmed.
The legends team’s visit could sound a precursor to BVB’s visit to India next, but Cramer says it will take some time.
“It is an interesting market and Dortmund would like to do it in a certain way that fits the Indian people, with the focus on building and sustaining grassroots initiatives... The visit of our team will take some time,” he said.
(The writer was in Germany on an invitation from Bundesliga)
