ISL 2017: Kerala Blasters fans accuse Bengaluru FC of blocking away stand tickets, threaten to hijack West Block

What’s the story?

Kerala Blasters fan club, Manjappada has alleged that Bengaluru FC have blocked the sales of one entire stand’s tickets for their home game against the Kochi-based side in the upcoming ISL 2017 season.

The Blasters supporters have started a campaign named #OccupyWestBlock, on Twitter. West Block is incidentally the section of the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, which is commanded by the famed Bengaluru FC fan group, West Block Blues.

To @bengalurufc , Please Unblock East Upper Tickets in @bookmyshow for BFC vs @KeralaBlasters match. Otherwise You will see Yellow Storm in Your West Block .. WBB will change to WBY (West Block Yellows)#OccupyWestBlock #Manjappada

— Manjappada KBFC Fans (@kbfc_manjappada) November 9, 2017

In case you didn’t know

The supporters of Bengaluru FC, who have made a switch from I-League to ISL, are very passionate, but so are Blasters fans. These two groups keep having banters amongst themselves on social media.

Kerala fans not only throng their home stadium in Kochi but are also present in huge numbers in away games – a phenomenon rarely seen in Indian football. So this paucity of tickets, is hurting them real bad.

Heart of the matter

The Blasters fans have accused BFC of deliberately blocking East Upper stand at the Kanteerava Stadium, to prevent them from supporting their team in full strength. However, BFC sources confirmed to Sportskeeda that a certain amount of seats are kept aside for the sponsors for every game.

A quick look at BookMyShow’s website will reveal that no tickets are available for East Upper stand for the Kerala game on March 1, 2018, while for the match against Mumbai City FC on November 19 for instance, tickets are available for that same stand.

The East Upper stand can't be accessed on BookMyShow for the Bengaluru FC vs Kerala Blasters game

East Upper stand tickets are available for Bengaluru FC's home game against Mumbai City FCInterestingly, the Puma and the East Lower-B stands are supposedly sold out for the Kerala game.

What’s next?

Manjappada KBFC Fans have threatened to hijack West Block, and as seats for that part of the gallery are still available, they have free access to book those. So Bengaluru FC's famous West Block might have a rather yellowish tint to it, on the Blues' last home game of ISL season 4.

Author’s take

Kerala Blasters fans can go to any extent to watch their team play. They have proven this over and over again, and it remains to be seen whether some of the fans actually end up in the West Block Stand on March 1, next year.

As per the allegation is concerned, it’s not exactly clear whether Bengaluru FC have purposely blocked the stand or not.

This may be Bengaluru FC's last game, but the shots seem to have already been fired!