How Mohun Bagan are getting ready for the ISL next season
Kolkata football giants Mohun Bagan finally looks to get back on tracks in regards to getting on boards sponsors for the team for the upcoming I-League. After not having a primary sponsor for the last three seasons, the Mariners are set to sign a contract with Ultratech Cement as their primary sponsor, sources close to the situation tell Sportskeeda.
The club is also in talks with Puma in terms of being their kit sponsor for the upcoming I-League season. The club currently has Shiv-Naresh as their kit sponsors/makers for the ongoing Calcutta Football League. Their contract, however, was yet to be renewed at the start of the season and are currently going on a rolling contract of monthly payments.
The amount paid by Puma, though undisclosed, is set is believed to be a nominal one and way below what they pay Bengaluru FC. Both parties looking towards the future as they are confident of Bagan participating in the ISL in the near future.
Both Ultratech and Puma are said to be close to signing multi-year deals with the Mariners with a clause that will say them pay double of what they are paying at the moment if and when Bagan take part in the ISL, sources close to the situation further told Sportskeeda.
Bagan had earlier roped in Nilkamal as their co-sponsor for the season earlier this year. The deal with Puma, Bagan, hope will also open up avenues for merchandising.
The Kolkata club, who are currently looking to form a new company called Mohun Bagan Football Club Pvt. Ltd - under whom they wish to register in the upcoming I-League. This will see the club sever all ties with the UB Group, who earlier had a 50% stake in the club and were the primary financiers.
Speaking to Sportskeeda on the condition of anonymity, a source close to the situation stated, "The club are looking to enter the ISL as early as last season. They are thus, forming a new company and because of it, there has been a delay in the contracts.
"With the ISL in mind, the club is looking for various other recruitments and are looking for improvements in terms of the website, social media presence as well as other aspects of fan engagement."
Speaking about the ISL rumours, a source close to the league further clarified that a deal was indeed near completion last season and could be done in the near future.
"The ISL have always had their arms open to embrace East Bengal and Mohun Bagan into the league," Sportskeeda were informed.
"There was an MOU was thrashed down for Bagan last season by their own lawyers and a consortium led by Shah Rukh Khan was keen on having a majority stake in the club. However, for reasons unknown to us, they walked away from the deal at the last moment."
However, now it looks like that a deal is the near future is a distinct possibility with both parties looking at the prospect of collaborating for a better future.