Bangladesh hockey steps into franchise era

Bangladesh hockey steps into a new era as the hockey federation signed a memorandum of understanding with ACE, a sports management company, to run a franchise league for five years.

ACE is a sports management company under the patronage of Bashundhara Group, which has successfully organised corporate cricket tournaments and Indoor University Cricket.

The signing ceremony took place at a city hotel on Monday, where Ishtiaq Sadek, CEO of ACE, and the acting General Secretary of BHF Mohammad Yusuf signed for their respective organisations.

President of the BHF, Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan, was present at the occasion as the chief guest.

ACE, now on behalf of BHF, will run a franchise-based hockey tournament for five years where six teams will take part. The name of the tournament is Bangladesh Champions Trophy or BCT.

So far, five corporate entities have expressed their interest in running a team in the Bangladesh Champions Trophy. The companies are- Acme, Monarch Mart, Rupayan Group, Saif Powertech, and Walton.

The Declaration of one franchise owner is yet to be declared, and the organisers said that the name will be revealed in due time.

Ishtiaq, son of former national team hockey player Abdus Sadek, said in his speech that he wants to bring back the glory days of hockey.

“During the 1980s, I used to go to the old hockey stadium with my father. I have witnessed the passion for hockey among people. I have seen full-house galleries and police charging spectators after an intense match when fans got furious. The game was that much popular,” he said at the signing ceremony.

“We want to bring back those glory days. Whenever I talk to my father, he says the league is not taking place in due time. Maybe the league took place only once in the last four years. We need corporate houses to step forward and keep the game going,” he added.

To fill in the void created by the irregular domestic leagues and tournaments, ACE is bringing on a franchise-based hockey tournament, a business model practised in India and Pakistan.

Hockey India League or Pakistan Hockey Super League is the initial blueprint that the BCT organisers want to follow. Six regional teams, with each having four foreign players on the roster from which three can play in the playing XI.

The tournament will take place in October-November, and most of the matches will take place at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium. Though the organisers said that from season two or three, a good number of matches could be played in the Bashundhara Sports Complex, where three hockey grounds are being constructed.

Shakib Al Hasan, chairman of Monarch Mart, was also present at the ceremony as a part of the team sponsor company.

The all-rounder told the media that he has had a fondness for hockey since his BKSP days.

“When I was a student of BKSP, my roommate was a hockey player. I have seniors who were hockey players. I used to go to watch hockey games, especially when foreign teams visited Bangladesh,” Shakib said on Monday.

“I think sports is the best way to keep youngsters away from drugs. Hockey has much more potential than any other game in our country; the game has a rich background. I believe franchise league will benefit the players and officials,” added Shakib.

BAF chief Shaikh Abdul Hannan presented mementoes to all the franchise owners and Safwan Sobhan, Vice-Chairman of Bashundhara Group.

Safwan gave BHF taka one crore as patron and handed over the dummy check to the general secretary on the occasion.