'Big Bang' Have Little Appeal by Paul Hewitt: 2011

‘Big Bang’ Have Little Appeal
by Paul Hewitt

They play in a large stadium in a populous area of central Bangkok, have one of Thailand’s greatest ever players as head coach and look destined for the Premier League in 2012. But BBCU seem to be winning few friends off the pitch, and many in the game will hope that their faltering form in the run-in ends with the club missing out on promotion altogether.

The club was known as Chula United from 2008 to 2010, and were considered to be Chulalongkorn University’s representative in Thai football. At the end of the 2010 season there was a falling out between the University and the club with the result that Chula United decamped from the University to the Army Stadium in Din Daeng, picked up some big name sponsors and relaunched as BBCU (Big Bang Chula United).

What they haven’t picked up, however, are any new fans. In fact, BBCU’s attendances have been falling throughout the season and they hit a new low recently when just 325 turned up for a so called ‘derby’ match against Thai Honda. It’s not a surprise. The club no longer represents Chula Uni’ (Chamchuri United in the Regional League now fill that role) nor can they claim to represent the area of Din Daeng as the longer established Bangkok United and Army United also play in the district. The fan base is made up of a few diehards from the Chula United days, but mainly employees and representatives of the sponsors all identically clad in giveaway pink t-shirts. A couple of dozen ‘pretties’ (all from a certain modelling agency, another sponsor) are also in attendance at every game, home and away.

It sounds harsh, but BBCU is a ‘nothing’ club; it’s soulless. It exists only as a promotional vehicle for big name sponsors. So Kiatisuk Senamuang deserves credit for moulding a team capable of winning promotion. They’ve been in the top three all season and, despite a recent slump in form, are still eleven points above fourth place at the time of writing. But Songkhla, whose average attendance is 15,000 (they peaked at 34,000 for a match against Buriram!), have three games in hand. Most neutrals, and quite possibly a few people within the halls of power, will hope that Big Bang’s bubble bursts.