ISL 2017: 'Amar Tomar Kolkata' no more, ATK add 'Amra Team Kolkata' to name
What’s the story?
Atletico de Kolkata may have won the Indian Super League (ISL) last season, but they will not be defeding that championship under that name in ISL 2017. Instead of the old name, the Kolkata-based side will go by the name of ATK, which was also the acronym of their name last season.
In case you didn’t know…
When the franchise was formed back in 2014, part of it was owned by Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, who play in the La Liga. In order to validate this tie-up with the Sanjiv Goenka group, the football team was named ATK.
However, after three seasons and two titles in the league, Atletico de Madrid decided to pull out of this tie-up.
Heart of the matter
With Atletico Madrid no more in the scheme of things, the franchise needed to rechristen themselves ahead of the start of the upcoming ISL season.
However, the franchise had already become quite popular in the city of Kolkata, and a total change in the name of the club was unlikely to be a viable option, which is why the owners decided to rechristen it as ATK.
While the initial tag line for the club as set as “Amar Tomar Kolkata” (which translates “mine and yours Kolkata”, in Bengali). However, ATK officials revealed to Sportskeeda that owner Goenka decided to keep a new tag line, which now reads as “Amra Team Kolkata” (My team Kolkata).
What’s next?
Having already won the ISL twice in three seasons, ATK will be looking to make it a hattrick of titles in ISL 2017, as they look forward to their opening day match against last year’s runners up Kerala Blasters, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Kochi, on November 17.
Author’s take:
In the three seasons when they had the tie-up with Atletico Madrid, ATK had a major Spanish influence within the club. However, that has changed since the Spanish giants parted ways with them, and the club has got a new direction, with English leadership, as they have signed former Manchester United star Teddy Sheringham as their manager, and former Bengaluru FC manager Ashley Westwood as their technical director.