ATK Mohan Bagan merger: ISL side announces much awaited merger with legendary Kolkata club. The merged club will come into existence from June 1, 2020.
I-league club Mohun Bagan have announced a merger with Indian Super League side ATK on Thursday. The two sides will now compete as one side in the Indian football landscape. The combined club will come into existence from the June 1, 2020 and will compete in the 2020-21 season of ISL, along with other important competitions of the All India Football Federation calendar.
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The RPSG group, which owns ATK, have acquired 80% shares in the merged club while Mohan Bagan will own the remaining 20%. The new club will also feature the brand names of both ATK and Mohun Bagan. They also announced the continuation of discounted tickets for all home matches for the members of the Mohun Bagan Athletic Club.
Dr. Sanjiv Goenka, chairman of the RPSG Group said:
“RPSG Group which has a 200-year-old legacy is humbled and honoured to welcome Mohun Bagan with folded hands and open arms to the RPSG family. Personally, it’s an emotional reunion for me as my father Late Shri R P Goenka was a member of Mohun Bagan.”
ATK Mohan Bagan merger necessary to take the club forward
Mohun Bagan Football Club’s chairman Swapan Sadhan Bose said of the union:
“As much as we want the romance of the Maroon and Green jersey and it’s 130-year-old tradition to continue, there comes a time when romance almost invariably requires a partner named practicality. To usher into the new era of football, you need bigger investments and a corporate force to take it forward. This is undoubtedly a harsh and the bigger truth.
“In this context I am very thankful to India’s one of the most well-known industrialists and our Kolkata’s very own Dr. Sanjiv Goenka for his investment through RPSG. Their vision on Indian football aligns with our philosophy and our combined forces will surely take the club to a bigger and greater heights. In this respect it is a red-letter day in the history of this iconic institution.
“I thank Dr. Goenka profusely for partnering our dream. His father, the Late RP Goenka was a good friend of mine. Apart from his legendary acumen as a businessman, RPG had a huge fondness for Mohun Bagan and was one of our members. Whenever we met business took a back seat and discussions on the club moved in the forefront.
“I can assure millions and millions of Bagan supporters spread across the globe, that the poetry will continue. Now that the prose is ready to lend a helping hand.”
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