IBL Beaten By The Pagebluk Of COVID-19, This Club Keeps Alive Thanks To Fans

Louvre Surabaya (Photo: IBL)

JAKARTA - Pagebluk COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact in various sectors, including sports. A number of competitions had to stop in order to maintain the safety of players and fans alike.

As a result, the club lost money. There was no income from spectator tickets, while funding from sponsors was also choked up. The club management was forced to turn their brains to stay alive.

The Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) club, Louvre Surabaya, was one that was able to survive even though the competition was temporarily suspended. The closeness to the fans is the key for the club to still get income.

The success of Louvre Surabaya in building a brand makes them a strong connection with fans. As a result, the income flows from the sale of club merchandise which of course fans buy.

The Louvre Surabaya jersey, which costs more than other IBL clubs, continues to sell well in the market. This proves the club has true fans.

"We make a reality show that engages the audience's emotions. We make it as intimate as possible with the fans. The result is now, when midnight," said the owner, Erick Herlangga, on the official IBL website.

He then revealed that Louvre fans were not only from Surabaya. The management has succeeded in developing wings in a number of areas to create a strong fan base.

One way to do this is by opening up to schools in other cities, such as Yoygyakarta and Bandung. Erick admitted that the public's enthusiasm was enormous.

"There are 300 people coming to practice together," said Erick.

Unfortunately, the Louvre Surabaya had to face additional trials. The incident of COVID-19 forced the club apparel sponsor, MBB, to close. Now, Louvre Surabaya management is trying to find a replacement sponsor.