Pune’s Problematic Past with Major League Pro Sports
It’s estimated that almost seven-and-a-half million people live in the metropolitan area of Pune, yet the place voted India’s most livable city more than once has been unlucky with its sports franchises.
This is somewhat surprising considering that badminton, as we know it today, has roots here. The first rules of that game were drawn up in Pune back in 1873. Ahead of the 150th anniversary of that, the city has seen two other international sports in cricket and soccer fail to maintain a proper professional presence in the country’s main competitions.
In addition, two IPL franchises based in Pune have folded over the last decade. One was never meant to be for the long-term anyway, and that curious story is worth telling. Rising Pune Supergiant was a temporary team competing in cricket’s most famous T20 competition in 2016 and 2017.
That concept seems pretty surreal, forming a whole IPL franchise for a couple of years only to disband it once the suspensions of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were lifted. You wouldn’t think a short-term deal like this would bring any success with it.
Supergiant Goes so Close
Rising Pune Supergiant rose from a seventh-place finish in their debut year to make the 2017 IPL Final. They had a real go at the competition, bringing in then South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, Australia batting duo Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, bowlers Mitchell Marsh and Adam Zampa, and England all-rounder Ben Stokes as overseas players besides a host of top Indian cricketers.
Some of the best from the national team past and present, wicketkeeper MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Washington Sundar, and Ravichandran Ashwin, played for the Supergiant. With such strength-in-depth in all departments, it’s no surprise that the temporary team almost went all the way in the IPL in their second season.
If Sundar hadn’t been run out from the final delivery, according to the IPL site, Pune might have had the IPL champions. They lost the Final by just a single run to Maharashtra rivals Mumbai Indians, who have gone on to win the competition again in 2019 and 2020 and are six-time victors. Such fine margins are often the line between success and failure.
Just as Pune missed out to Mumbai in the IPL, the same thing has happened with host venues for the 2021 T20 World Cup supposed to take place in the Subcontinent during the fall. As of May 5, India are the 3.50 favorites in the cricket betting on offer with Betway for that international tournament. So, whether or not it goes ahead, at least they’re in good stead for victory.
Warriors Tale of Woe
Although the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium won’t host any World Cup matches, England did play a number of limited overs internationals there earlier this year during their tour of the Subcontinent. Chennai Super Kings also used the ground as a temporary home in 2018 and 2019, so the hope is for greater use of the facility in the future.
Expanding the IPL has been on the agenda for some time, but there was a bad experience relating to Pune and their original franchise, the Warriors. Financial disputes with the sport’s governing body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), may have left a sour taste.
Formed in 2010 ahead of the 2011 IPL campaign, Pune Warriors India didn’t agree with how the league valued the franchise, as explained by ESPN, or the fee to be paid. They twice withdrew from the competition, first before the start of the 2012 season and again after the following year.
Pune Warriors India was nowhere near as successful as the Supergiant, finishing bottom or second-last in each campaign they participated in. They only won 11 of their 45 IPL matches. Issues over money weren’t just behind this failure in the city, either.
Pune City Didn’t Play by the Rules
It was a similar story with FC Pune City of the Indian Super League (ISL) soccer. Founded in 2014, their first marquee player was World Cup-winning forward David Trezeguet. Much like Major League Soccer in the USA and the A-League in Australia, attracting big-name veterans to India with the aim of raising the profile of this sport and the grassroots in the region, covered by Punekar News, was the plan.
Other famous soccer players followed, including English Premier League alumni Adrian Mutu, Didier Zokora, Momo Sissoko, and Tuncay Sanli. Like Trezeguet, none stayed at Pune, and that left fans of the Stallions, as the club was nicknamed, wondering why.
There was also a large turnover of coaches, with six permanent managers in as many seasons. Behind the scenes, players like Canada striker Iain Hume revealed that they hadn’t received wages for an entire season. There were also sanctions handed down to Pune City for an illegal approach towards signing Nestor Gordillo from Chennai City.
These unsuccessful sporting ventures don’t cast Pune in the best light. But there is a lesson to be learned for any future franchises: ensure the finances are there to fulfill all contractual commitments and obligations. This way, there could not only be more success in the future, but it could last for longer, too.
