KKR used to have one of the biggest fanbases during their heydays, but that is the story of the past now.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are going through a horrid run in the sixteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). They endured their sixth defeat of the season against the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) at their home ground Eden Gardens, Kolkata, in the day game on Saturday.
KKR have been inconsistent for most of the season, as they have largely relied on individual performances rather than churning out a complete team performance. While there have been personal flashes of brilliance from the players, they have barely fired in tandem.
As a result, the two-time champions languish in the seventh position on the points table and are on the verge of an early exit from the tournament. Things don’t seem to be improving for them moving forward, given the depth of the KKR squad.
The injuries and unavailability of the key players, including their regular captain Shreyas Iyer, have also plagued their campaign right from the start. All in all, KKR are having a season to forget, as the positives have been minimal for them this time around.
The regular below-par performances by Kolkata Knight Riders have certainly waned the interest and support of the local Kolkata fans. The home support that the Knight Riders used to receive earlier is completely missing now.
In most of the home games KKR played this season, the supporters of the away team were more in numbers at the iconic Eden Gardens. The franchises like Gujarat Titans even boasted of higher support at Eden.
Hence, KKR have received a lot of flak for the poor show on the field, which has resulted in a lower number of spectators cheering for them from the stands. Those present on the ground during their just-concluded game today have confirmed that the GT fans outnumbered the KKR fans, which is concerning.
KKR used to have one of the biggest fanbases during their heydays, but that is the story of the past now. Only a handful of them come to encourage the Knight Riders now.
This is how social media reacted:
KKR’s fandom is absolutely in shambles.
I thought it was fine that Eden Gardens had more fans against RCB and against CSK, but even GT fans are outnumbering KKR’s.
The brand has done something really wrong over the last 2-3 years. What a fall.
— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) April 29, 2023
Started noticing this recently when looking at the following numbers for IPL. These are from sometime earlier in April 2023 and misses the two new teams Gujarat (2.4 million) and Lucknow (2.3 million). https://t.co/KGqRWzBKK8 pic.twitter.com/yMvFplYM6j
— Aman Misra (@sociologysport) April 29, 2023
Absence of a strong leader main reason. Ganguly brought in the local flavour. Gambhir often spoke of Kolkata as his second home. Plus won two titles. This team lacks that
— Shankar (@Uniteddevil8) April 29, 2023
KKR home crowd in a CSK game pic.twitter.com/BlMJzc8Ldk
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) April 29, 2023
The KKR fans should and must stop wasting money in buying tickets and cheer for KKR IN Eden. This is the only team who loses on their home pitch.
— Sourav Biswas (@souravarriving) April 29, 2023
It feels so embarrassing to come up with excuses like these again and again, man. Let’s accept that our fanbase has declined significantly since 2020, and we’re not even filling our home ground. Even SRH and KKR are doing that, and it was KKR fans wearing yellow that day
— Come on Ash (@ComeonAsh2) April 29, 2023
KKR win percentage at Eden Gardens🏟️
2013-2015= 81.25%
2016-2023= 50%That’s it, That’s the Tweet 😓
— KKR Bhakt 🇮🇳 ™ (@KKRSince2011) April 29, 2023
No connection with any localite Or big Indian star. You can’t connect with local fan solely with past their prime Russell and Narine. Ganguly, Gambhir, Uthappa and even DK had huge brand value.
— Deepanshu Agarwal । दिपांशु अग्रवाल (@Deepanshu__Agar) April 29, 2023
These fuckers don’t even know the reason and then keep on shitting all day here.
KKR ke home ground mein CSK wala match nahi dekha hoga shayad 🤣 https://t.co/7W0WjX6DYe
— Shubham Shrivastava (@Walkingmiless) April 29, 2023
Kolkata Knight Riders will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their next game. They will need to win every game from here on to stand any chance of qualification.
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