KOLKATA: The Copa America and Euro Cup finals on the same day usually mark hectic activity at Maidan Market in the run-up to the big sporting events. Fans from across the city and even districts generally flock here to buy a Messi or a Neymar jersey or a Harry Kane T-shirt. But then, that was in the pre-Covid days.
On Saturday, with hours to go before the Sunday early morning final, Brazilian and Argentine jerseys lay stacked at a corner. Mohammed Nadim, who has spent 23 years at this market, sounded hopeless. “We usually order 800 jerseys before these major tournaments. This year, we ordered just one-tenth of it. We were not even sure if our shops would open this month,” he said.
Fans release a hot-air balloon to mark the occasion of two back-to-back finals
Md Riyaz, another seller, said they had been hit twice. “Our losses multiplied after the IPL stopped midway and Eden Gardens got no KKR matches. Now, two of the biggest tournaments are gone. Neither do we have stocks (owing to transportation and shutting down of smaller textile units in Covid times) nor the customers,” he said.
According to another trader Sk Kabir Ahmed, their main clients are youngsters from city suburbs. “The trains are not running and even long-distance buses from Esplanade are numbered. Why would anyone burn a hole in their pocket and come to buy jerseys here?” he asked.
Riyaz and Ahmed said their regular clients are trying to stand by them by buying flags. “Each shop has sold Brazil and Argentina flags — worth Rs 500-Rs 800 — in the past 48 hours.. The buyers are regular local club members and football enthusiasts. But even then, these numbers are well below average,” rued Riyaz. “With these events gone too, stocking up in bulk right now is beyond our means because the virus has brutally slashed our earnings.” said another seller.
