It has been a torrid start to the Indian Super League 2020/21 for SC East Bengal. After six matchdays, SC East Bengal has been languishing at the bottom of the table without a win. Similar to their form on the pitch, SC East Bengal had a quiet time in the market regarding sponsorship deals.
Shree Cements is the main sponsor of SC East Bengal this season. It is an in-house deal as Shree Cements is a joint owner of the ISL club. As part of this sponsorship deal, Shree Cements feature on the front side of SC East Bengal’s first team kit. Having an in-house partner works for both parties. Shree Cements get good exposure at a bigger platform along with earning the revenue of the club, while the team also gets a capable sponsor.
For the kit manufacturing deal, SC East Bengal negotiated a new contract with Tyka. The Indian apparel brand has designed the first team and training kits for SC East Bengal. Both organisations also worked together last season.
Toptech Cement has been roped in by SC East Bengal for associate sponsorship this season. There has been a lack of sponsorship deals for the club this season as the first team kit contains only Shree Cements, Tyka, and club crest. The pandemic may have been one of the key reasons for the lack of deals.
Moreover, the popularity of the club in ISL also plays a big role in attracting sponsors. Clubs such as Kerala Blasters, Chennaiyin FC, and FC Goa managed to attract a lot of sponsors despite the pandemic. SC East Bengal will need time, solid commercial strategy, and success on the pitch to compete with the best clubs in the ISL. For the starters, qualifying for the knockout rounds this season would be a big step in the right direction.