I have a similar dilemma with the IPL. For the last three years I was a die-hard fan of RCB. RCB had some of the stalwarts from Karnataka in Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid along with promising players like Robin Uthappa, Vinay Kumar, A Mithun and Manish Pandey, all of whom played for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy. Having these players in RCB gave me a reason to support the franchisee. The support to RCB was almost natural as there was continuity in supporting Karnataka and RCB.
Now that none of the above mentioned players are in the team except Mithun ( Kumble as a ‘mentor’ doesn’t count), I am finding it difficult to support my ‘home’ team. In fact, in RCB’s first match against Kochi, when Vinay kumar got Virat Kohli’s wicket, it made me happier.
So, the question comes, why should I support RCB? Is it because it has ‘Bangalore’ in the team name or because it plays all its ‘home’ matches in Bangalore or because its owner is based in Bangalore? Frankly speaking, none of these reasons excite me enough to support RCB.
It is not possible for any of the Franchisees to have all the players from the local region, but if at least 4-5 players are from the local team, it is easier to build a fan base and gain support.
Come April 19th and the match between Rajasthan Royals and the RCB and I might just support the Royals.
