I-League 2017: Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal matchday tickets go on sale
What's the story?
The tickets for the much-awaited Kolkata Derby, between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, have finally gone on sale, just a few weeks ahead of the high-voltage clash.
The Kolkata Derby is set to be held on December 3, at the Salt Lake Stadium, which is fresh from hosting the FIFA U17 World Cup.
In case you didn't know...
With all the hype and attention surrounding the ISL, it may be easy for one to lose track of the happenings in the I-League. However, with a mammoth of a clash like this one, it looks like the ISL will be sidelined for a while, especially in Kolkata.
The announcement of the fixtures was delayed by a long time and that was a worrying issue for the clubs as roping in sponsors and ticket sales were left hanging in the balance. The I-League's merger with the ISL that was scheduled to take place this year could take time and is likely to happen next year. For now, the ISL and the I-League will take place simultaneously.
Heart of the matter
The game will take place at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium, better known as the Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata, the iconic stadium will still be fresh with memories of the FIFA U-17 World Cup that took place last month.
A year before the U-17 World Cup, the Yuba Bharati Kriranngan was under renovation and since then, Siliguri’s Kanchenjunga Stadium hosted the high-voltage clash. This will also be the first time since January, last year that a Kolkata Derby will be played at the stadium.
What's next?
The tickets for the derby will be very conveniently priced at Rs.100 and Rs.200 for general seating. The game will also be Mohun Bagan's home game, and hence club members are set to get free tickets upon showing their 2017-18 membership card at the club tent.
For fans who do not have the Mohun Bagan membership, the tickets can be bought here.
Author's take
Despite the ISL registering massive crowds in the stadiums, the Kolkata Derby remains one of the biggest events in the Indian football calendar. It does not matter that the East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are not playing in the ISL. Be it in the I-League, or the Federation Cup, or even the Calcutta Football League, a Kolkata Derby always draws large crowds to the stands, and we expect these tickets to be sold out quickly.