Over the past two years, PUMA has steadily cemented itself in the world of Indian football with a number of initiatives. The largest association they have had is the partnership with the Indian Super League over the past two seasons. From sponsoring the kits of three teams – Delhi Dynamos, Mumbai City and Kerala Blasters – to supplying the official match ball, PUMA has made its mark in India.
Sportskeeda caught with PUMA India MD Mr. Abhishek Ganguly and spoke to him on a number of topics with respect to the ISL. Here are a few excerpts.
What are your thoughts on ISL season 2? Was it better than season 1?
Overall, the second season of ISL was much better in terms of both viewership and stadium attendance, as well as the quality of football. We’re extremely pleased with the outcome of the second season. From a commercial and merchandising perspective, it was much better because we had more time to work with the three teams that we sponsored this season.
Since PUMA were also the official ball suppliers, we sold quite a bit of replica balls in our stores. So, commercially it was a great success for us. Overall, I’m of the firm opinion that with every passing season the ISL will become better and stronger and, at some point of time, develop into one of the strongest leagues in the world.
It’s difficult to forecast two or three years down the line, but the quality of football can soon be compared with the top leagues in the world.
In the past, PUMA has been known for carefully picking which teams and athletes they sponsor. So what was the thought process when a new venture like the ISL was announced?
Any brand would like to associate themselves with good teams and we did the same. It’s a different story that Kerala Blasters and Mumbai City did not finish as high up in the final rankings as we had thought they would, but that is a part and parcel of any sport.
With respect to whether we were right or wrong in picking them; one bad season does not mean it was a bad partnership – they are very professional teams, one of the most professional of what I have seen in the ISL, and I’m sure they will bounce back in the third season.
Delhi Dynamos did very well, and they could have reached the final and won the tournament with some luck. It was unfortunate for them that one bad game in the semi-final saw them lose out on the opportunity to reach the final. But I felt that Delhi played consistently well and was one of the most consistent teams in the ISL this year.
How important is it for a brand like PUMA to support a brand new league like the ISL?
It’s a very pertinent question. I’m a firm believer that India cannot be a one-sport country with cricket. While we have done well in some of the Olympic sports in the past such as boxing, tennis, badminton and other sports such as squash in the last few years, the reality is that football is the biggest global sport. 3.2 billion people watch football! Our FIFA ranking just does not justify India as a footballing nation (India were ranked 166 at the start of December).
The quality of football in India has gone down over the last few decades. India were at a much higher level in the 1950s and '60s on the world stage, especially in Asia. I’m of the firm opinion that the ISL can play a very important role in India playing a higher standard of football.
In the last five to ten years, there has been immense interest in football on television in India. However, when it comes to Indian football the numbers were just not reflected. The ISL has changed that, the youths are watching the matches on TV and attending them at the stadiums.
That triggers the youth to play football. The ISL gives Indian players a platform, they get recognition and visibility. ISL goes a long way in the development of the sport going forward. A better and longer ISL will only enhance this opportunity.
From that perspective, it was a great opportunity for PUMA to participate in something that was new and critical for the development of the sport in the country. Being a global sports brand and a leading sports brand in the country with a heritage in football, it was natural to associate ourselves with ISL in a big way at a very strategic level. We believe it has a pivotal role to play in the growth of the sport in the country and making it attractive to the youth.
You once said PUMA invested without thinking of RoI. Do you think the ISL can be bigger and better in the long run?
Having seen the ISL and especially the players up close, I firmly believe that the ISL will play a pivotal role in the development of this sport in the country. For the first time, there is a television audience, fans are getting involved – something Indian football really needs. We will continue to support it.
As far as RoI is concerned, it doesn’t happen in one or two years. But it is our responsibility to develop the sport in the country. The decision wasn’t just taken from a marketing standpoint. Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised with the sales of our merchandise, especially all three teams we sponsored.
Currently, PUMA supplies kits for Mumbai City, Kerala Blasters, Delhi Dynamos. Is there a plan to increase that number in season 3?
I can’t tell you right now if we will have more teams or not. We started with one team in season 1 and we had three teams this season. One thing I can tell you is that next year we will come back with better engagement – more consumer and fan engagement – and a larger range of merchandise for each of the teams. I believe that it will improve every year as far as our partnership with the ISL is concerned.
Was there a different approach for the various teams in the ISL? Was it any different compared to other sports PUMA has partnered with?
We had an integration with the league from a football perspective. We wanted to ensure that all the products used – whether it was the equipment for the three teams we sponsored, the gear or the official ball – were of top quality so that the football on display was of the highest quality possible.
We had a 360-approach as we were the tournament and team sponsors. So we had a very integrated association with ISL and we will continue to do that, so that was our approach to the ISL.
The ISL is very interested in improving football at the grassroots level. What is PUMA doing to help in that cause?
Being one of the largest sports brands in the country, we had the ability to drive the sport in the country and help in its development. We’ve already associated ourselves in grassroots football at the club and academy level.
We have also supported a lot of young and upcoming Indian talents. We also have a few players in the Indian national team who are associated with PUMA.
