MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup review: Timeless legacy endures despite waning fan support

After a long, protracted summer, intermittent spells of rain signalled the return of domestic hockey to Chennai’s Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium.

The storied venue in Egmore hosted the 95th edition of the All India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup, the oldest hockey tournament in South India, second only to the Beighton Cup held further north.

After a week of intense action, the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB), the defending champion, overcame a spirited comeback by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to win the final 5-3.

The roots of the Gold Cup stretch back to 1901, when the Madras Cricket Club inaugurated the Madras Challenge Cup at the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) grounds. In 1962, the Murugappa group launched a separate hockey tournament, the Murugappa Gold Cup Championship, which was played in Egmore. These two competitions merged in 1996 to form a single invitational tournament, ensuring that the finest teams from across the country would participate in Chennai’s celebration of the national sport.

“I played here [Egmore stadium] at a very young age when it was still the Murugappa Gold Cup,” said V. Baskaran, captain of India’s 1980 Olympic Gold Medal-winning team. “There were temporary stands on one side and a cement stand on the other.”

“I also played the MCC tournament at the centre pitch of the TNCA grounds,” he reminisced. “There was a large gallery adjacent to the pitch, and the ground had lush grass maintained to world-class standards for a month.”

Alongside Baskaran, several Indian hockey legends from the dominant teams of the 1960s and 70s — such as Udham Singh, Gurbux Singh, V.J. Peter, Prithipal Singh, and Vijay Phillips — showcased their skills in this tournament.

Throughout the 90s and 2000s, the tournament continued to thrive, unearthing numerous players who went on to represent India in World Cups and Olympics. Many of them remain involved, either as players or in coaching roles.

“As a child, when we learned about the domestic circuit and the key tournaments to make an impact in the big league and catch the eye of selectors and coaches, this was the one,” said RSPB’s Yuvraj Walmiki, who represented India at the 2014 World Cup. The forward from Mumbai was named the best forward in the league for the second consecutive year.

“This is one of the top-grade tournaments in the country,” added V.R. Raghunath, a two-time Olympian. “It’s the first tournament of the season, so the best players participate, and the teams are at their peak fitness. It’s one of the most celebrated events in domestic hockey.”

Despite its glorious past, domestic tournaments like the Murugappa Gold Cup have witnessed a significant decline in spectator turnout. The once-packed stadium, where fans gathered in droves to watch the country’s best athletes, now sees only a few hundred in attendance.

One of the main reasons for this lack of interest is the increasingly crowded international calendar, which makes it nearly impossible for the core group of 30-35 national team players to participate.

“Around 30 players will always be occupied with international assignments—rest, recovery, and preparation for the next tournament. If they get a gap of one to one-and-a-half months, they can come and play. But for a break of just one week or 10-15 days, there’s no point in coming and playing here,” said Raghunath, who retired from international hockey in 2017 but continues to represent IOCL in the domestic circuit.

Another factor contributing to the decline in crowds, according to B.P. Govinda, a member of the 1975 World Cup-winning team, is the national team’s inconsistent performance on the international stage over the past two decades.

“When we played these tournaments, the whole stadium used to be full. Back then, the Indian team won many tournaments—like the bronze medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, the silver at the 1973 World Cup, and the gold at the 1975 World Cup,” he said.

“Since 1975, the Indian team hasn’t been on the podium at the World Cup — it’s been almost 50 years. After that [1975 World Cup], there hasn’t been anything to draw in spectators,” he opined.

“The public will return once the team starts winning international tournaments. The Indian team won bronze medals at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. If you keep winning, people will come to meet their heroes,” he added.

Nasser, a fan who has been following the event for over a decade, suggests that the quality of the sport has dwindled compared to previous years.

“Dribbling has gone down, and the schematic moves we used to see have decreased too. Now, it’s all about aerial passes and penalty corners,” he said.

“Earlier, we could identify players by their unique style of play. One player who immediately comes to mind is Dhanraj Pillay — he was the darling of the crowd here,” Nasser added.

A potential solution to revive interest could be creating space in the national calendar to ensure the availability of India’s regular players. Olympian Mohammed Riyaz sees this as a way to bring back the crowds.

“I have requested the [Hockey India] secretary and president to demarcate the top five tournaments in the Indian calendar where the national team can participate. Only then can these tournaments become more globalised, attracting more spectators. It will also improve the overall viewership of the sport,” he said.

Sunil Kumar Singh, coach of RSPB, echoed this sentiment. “During these top tournaments, if Hockey India’s calendar is not busy and they can release the national players, the charm of these events will be restored,” he said.

“The quality of matches will improve, and the players who primarily play in domestic events will get a chance to test themselves against high-quality internationals,” he added.

Despite the decline in attendance over the years, the importance of this legacy event remains undeniable.

Baskaran credits the tournament with helping to discover talented players from Odisha. “In the 90s, the army team started participating, and many Odisha players emerged. The Army Services teams had players like Vincent Lakra and Gopal Bhengra, who played here and caught the attention of selectors,” the former coach said.

“These tournaments have paved the way for many youngsters to go on and play in the Olympics or the World Cup,” Baskaran added.

In the recently concluded edition, one match was held under floodlights each day to allow more spectators to catch the live action. According to Baskaran, the organisers have also proposed a women’s tournament, which could be held simultaneously in the future.