Will it be ‘Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo’ for KKR again this IPL?
All eyes are on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as they play their first match in IPL 2020 against the Mumbai Indians (MI), who are looking at a win at all costs after losing out to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their opening match. The flamboyant ones – and why not, after all none other than Shah Rukh Khan owns the team – KKR has seen two IPL cup glories and is hungering for yet another IPL trophy in its kitty.
So far, the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League has got off to a great start, with surprising twists and turns in every match – yesterday’s (September 22, 2020) match is a case in point as Rajasthan Royals (RR) registered a win over CSK, making it their 2nd biggest win against the #Yellove team. RR also defended a score against CSK for the first time in 10 years.
If we dial back time to the first IPL, arguably Kolkata Night Riders were the most exciting team to look out for. Shah Rukh Khan showcased his marketing genius while promoting the team. With the iconic anthem, "Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo" and the first team to promote merchandise, KKR were definitely an exciting proposition for IPL fans.
This proposition strengthened after KKR's Brendon McCullum scored the first ever IPL century in the first IPL match back in 2008. This century didn't only put the team on the map but also made IPL an exciting platform to watch some nail biting cricket.
If we dial back in time to the first edition of IPL, arguably Kolkata Knight Riders were the most exciting team to look out for. Shah Rukh Khan showcased his marketing genius while promoting the team. With the iconic war cry – ‘Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo’ – and the first team to promote its merchandise, KKR were definitely an exciting proposition for IPL fans.
This proposition strengthened after KKR’s Brendon McCullum scored the first ever IPL century in the first IPL match back in 2008. This century didn’t just put the team on the map, but also made IPL an exciting platform to watch some nail biting cricket.
However, KKR didn’t live up to the humongous expectations of fans on the pitch because of very average results. The team finished in the bottom half of the table in the first three years of the tournament before finally making it to the playoffs in 2011. The team achieved glory when it lifted the IPL trophy, not once but twice – in 2012 and 2014, with wins over CSK and Kings XI Punjab, respectively.
- In the first season of IPL, even after losing the tournament, the team was the most profitable
- The team was valued at $86 million, which is way higher valuation than any other IPL team
- They won 11 consecutive matches in the 2014-2015 campaign. This marked the longest winning streak by any IPL team
- They hold the record for the largest victory margin by defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 140 runs in their very first match of IPL in the first season
- The team initially wore a black and gold jersey, which was later changed to Purple and Gold and was designed by Manish Malhotra
For the 2020 season, KKR has managed to gain some interesting brands on board as their sponsors. With MPL as the team’s principle sponsor, they have also signed deals with Jio, Lux Cozi, TV9 Bharatvarsh, Greenply, Colgate, Astral Pipes and Royal Stag. They also have merchandise partnerships with Souled Store, Boat and Fanhood.
#TWEET#
#TWEET_2#
#TWEET_3#
#TWEET_4#
#TWEET_5#
#TWEET_6#
In terms of fan engagement, while KKR have put up several player posts and nostalgic posts to inculcate the IPL spirit in fans this season, they've also kept competitions and highlighted #ToofaniFanStories to keep in touch with fans.
#TWEET_7#
#TWEET_8#
#TWEET_9#
#TWEET_10#
#TWEET_11#
#TWEET_12#
KKR has some strong competition this season and getting back to winnings ways won't be as easy for the team. They begin their campaign against defending champions Mumbai Indians and win there definitely send out a positive message for the fans. However, it's easier said than done!