Bhakundo premieres documentary to invigorate football fandom

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 4: Does Nepali football have a fanbase anymore? This is a question many often raise. Citing a lack of 'fan culture', communities built around a shared enjoyment of an aspect of popular culture, people present arguments that the football clubs have lost touch with sports lovers, admonish stakeholders for not enticing and exciting existing and prospective followers and worry about the fans' perceived apathy towards the beautiful game.

So, to enliven the fandom, Bhakundo.np, a fairly new media venture covering local and international Nepali football, premiered a short documentary 'Sankata ko dhun' at Te Bahal, Kathmandu, on Friday. Te Bahal is the home of the famous Sankata Football Club. 

Bhakundo screened the documentary to a crowd of fans, club officials, journalists and other admirers of Sankata as well as general football.

Speaking after the premiere, Gaurav Phuyal, chief executive officer of Bhakundo Media and Management Pvt. Ltd., the company that owns Bhakundo.np, said that they had tried a new thing and expected suggestions from sports fans to keep learning, growing and getting better.

Sankata, regulars at the A Division League, and few other clubs can boast of a strong and loyal fanbase. And football 'fan culture' does exist in Nepal, albeit on a small scale. However, it is not talked about much and not a lot comes out in the media as well.