Bengaluru FC launched its new home kit for the 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season with the JSW Group returning for the second time as the club's principal sponsor, the club announced on Saturday.
The launch of the new kit included a video featuring club captain Sunil Chhetri, players Udanta Singh and Suresh Wangjam. The kit is made by the club's partners Puma and comes with a simple design in the club's primary blue colours.
A photograph showed Chhetri posing in front of the Vidhana Soudha, the state legislature, located in the centre of Bengaluru.
Speaking on the return of JSW as the club’s principal sponsor, owner and club Director, Parth Jindal said, “This Bengaluru FC team will always hold a special place in the JSW growth story, as it marked our foray into sports in India and embodies all the JSW Group core values of the confidence to dream big, the courage to spark progress, committing to deliver excellence with no excuses while always working with compassion and in collaboration with our communities. We couldn’t be happier to be back on the front of the BFC Jersey and I wish them the very best for the season.”
Speaking on the launch of the kit, club CEO, Mandar Tamhane said the Bengaluru FC blue has become synonymous with the city. “We’ve always looked to keep our home kit simple, much like most things in Bengaluru city. Through these colours, we only hope to strengthen the bond the club has managed to develop with the city in such a short span of time.
The new season of the Indian Super League begins in November and the Blues are slated to start their first phase of the pre-season at the club Academy in Ballari before proceeding to Goa at the end of October.
The club recently began a campaign to help small businesses in the city. The campaign will see the club use its social media platforms as a stage to showcase local and hyper-local businesses throughout Bengaluru while encouraging the city to patronise them.
After a trophy-less 2019-20 season, the first in the club's history, Bengaluru FC have made changes to its squad ahead of the 2020-21 season. Brazilian Cleiton Silva and Indian players Ajith Kumar, Wungngayam Muirang, Joe Zoherliana, Lalthuammawia Ralte and Pratik Chaudhari have joined the club. Ralte has rejoined the club two years after his departure in 2018.