Kochi: The Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium here will be less noisy tonight.
No, it is not because of fewer fans -- in fact, the tickets for the ISL match between Kerala Blasters and ATK Mohun Bagan was sold out three days ago -- but due to a fan group's decision to not allow plastic horns into the venue.
The horns resembling vuvuzelas that caught global attention during the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa are regarded by many as a nuisance for being uncomfortably loud.
Manjappada, which is the largest fan group of the Kerala Blasters with a presence in 46 countries (as claimed by the group), had been campaigning against it inside their home ground in the build-up to the match.
"We have been urging the fans who come to the home matches to not bring the horns. But in the first match of the season (against East Bengal) it went unchecked," said Nikhil Thomas, president of Manjappada.
"But this time we talked to the management and the club agreed to ensure that the horns are not allowed inside."
When the gates opened by 4 pm those who had bought the horns had to leave them outside to gain entry. Many, unaware of the development, had bought the product that was sold like hot tea snacks outside the main entrance -- for Rs 50 and Rs 100.
That said, a few horns can be heard from the gallery; someone somehow sneaked it in! But guess what, drums and the thundering applause generated by at least 35,000 pairs of hands should make up for the noisy distraction of horns.