ISL: Kerala Blasters need to be careful brand Sachin doesn't overpower the team

If God’s own country was to get an ISL Football team, then it is only fair that God owned it. On 13 April 2014, Sachin Tendulkar and Prasad V Potluri successfully won the bid for the Kerala franchise. Subsequently on 27 May 2014, the team was named Kerala Blasters. No prizes for guessing that the team wants to promote its association with Sachin Tendulkar, who is more commonly referred to as Master Blaster. Though a part of me understands why they chose to call themselves the Blasters, I don’t think it fits as well in the football context. Even if you have an above average attack, it will be hard for one to imagine them blasting their way through the opponent team’s defense. [caption id=“attachment_1752607” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  David James speaking in front of the Kerala logo. AFP[/caption] The other disadvantage is that Sachin is clearly the bigger brand. There is hardly anyone in India who is not a Sachin fan. Admittedly, if he is on your side you would want to brag about it but by naming the team Kerala Blasters the promoters have ensured that a little bit of Sachin shall always remain in the team DNA. You do not want brand Sachin to overpower brand Kerala Blasters. Till now the Kerala Blasters have managed this aspect well and if they need any tips then a call to the IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, wouldn’t be a bad idea. However the other element of the brand, the logo, is designed to symbolise the heritage, culture, spirit and passion of Kerala and its love for football. The logo is built around the indomitable elephant, reflecting its pride of place in Kerala’s culture and festivities. The elephant is depicted, cradling a football within its trunk. “The elephant is a symbol of strength and pride, rooted in its family and community, reflecting the aspiration and spirit of Kerala Blasters,” Prasad Potluri, Co-owner of Kerala Blasters said. Their association with Kerala is something they wear, quite literally, with pride. During the official team launch function all the players were dressed in the Kerala Blasters T-shirt and mundu! I love how the team is embracing the state’s culture and making it an integral part of its identity. Maybe it was the Elephant that attracted Muthoot Group to become the title sponsors for the Kerala Blasters! The team color is yellow which signifies determination and more importantly faith. This faith could be the faith that the team has in the people of Kerala as well as the faith that millions have in Sachin. The Kerala Blasters have God on their side. They should focus on playing fearless football and reinforce the faith millions have in football and that gentleman called Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.