Batting great Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday confirmed that he is selling off stakes in the Indian Super League (ISL) franchise Kerala Blasters. Tendulkar had always been an integral part of club's image. In fact, the club's name is wordplay from one of Tendulkar's many sobriquets, Master Blaster.
Confirming the new development, the 45-year-old said in a statement, "In its fifth year, it is important that the club puts the building blocks for the next five years and beyond. It is also a time for me to reflect on the role that I should play. After reflecting and much discussion with my team, I have decided to exit my association with Kerala Blasters as a co-promoter."
The former Indian cricket team captain, as a co-owner, had been associated with the club since its inception in 2014. He was one of the high-profile personalities to own a club in the new football league. His former India team-mate Sourav Ganguly is also a co-owner of Kolkata-based ATK, Both the cricketers promoted their respective clubs and the league as football continues to find a foothold in the cricket craze country.
Tendulkar had bought the Kochi-based franchise back in 2014 along with entrepreneur Prasad V Potluri. The next year, Potluri and his company PVP Ventures sold off their stakes and Tendulkar had become 40 percent stake holder in the franchise.
In 2016, film stars Chiranjeevi and Akkineni Nagarjuna, film producer Allu Aravind and industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad became co-owners.
"I strongly believe that Kerala Blasters is in very good shape and on its path to attain many more successes with the backing of its fans offering unconditional support. I am very proud of Kerala Blasters and a piece of my heart will always beat for the club.
“Over the last four years, Kerala Blasters Football Club has been an integral part of my life. I have undergone all the emotions that millions of Kerala Blasters fans have undergone during this period.
"My association with Kerala Blasters was driven with the intent to reignite the passion for the game and give the many fans and the abundant talent in Kerala, a national platform to express themselves.
"It has been a thrilling experience to chase this pursuit and something which I will always cherish," he added.
Meanwhile, Lulu Group International has become the new owners of the franchise.
Blasters have finished runners-up twice in the ISL, losing to ATK in the finals of inaugural edition and 2016.
The fifth ISL season will start on September 29. Blasters will take on ATK in the season opener at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata. The new season will feature 59 games in 12 rounds with three breaks to accommodate FIFA match days (October 8 – 16, 2018 and November 12 – 20, 2018), and the Indian national camp ((December 17, 2018) for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
