The Indian Super League (ISL) will kick off on 4 September after a five-month delay, with club chiefs hoping to capitalise on the huge interest generated by the World Cup in India, even though the national team did not qualify.
New season brings optimism
The new season is scheduled to run for eight months with a full 26-game home-and-away schedule. In a major organisational change, the 14 clubs have been given control of commercial, marketing and sponsorship rights, while the All India Football Federation (AIFF) retains administrative and governance oversight. This shift gives teams a say in their destiny off the pitch as well as on it.
“It is about starting afresh and building on this,” says Shaji Prabhakaran, the former AIFF general secretary. “The advantage is that they have resolved everything early and, at the moment, everyone is hooked on football, so finding broadcasters and investment should be easier.”
Riding the World Cup wave
The World Cup drew strong interest from the Indian market despite unfavourable viewing times. “The timing couldn’t be better,” says Ravi Puskur, chief executive of FC Goa. “A World Cup that was not ideal in terms of viewing times has drawn strong interest and support from the Indian market. It does something a domestic league alone can’t do; it puts football at the centre of the conversation.”
Puskur and his fellow club bosses are determined to ride this wave. “Our job now is to give fans a reason to transfer that excitement to their local club,” he says.
Lessons from last season
The previous season was truncated to 13 games after the AIFF failed to find a commercial partner when its 15-year masters rights agreement with Reliance ended. That led to clubs suspending operations, players leaving and doubts about the ISL’s future. Rebuilding public confidence is a priority for Puskur. “Broadcasters, sponsors and fans all commit more when they trust the calendar won’t move under them,” he says.
He also calls for real investment in youth and domestic talent to increase the domestic pool. “If ISL clubs can hold their own in the AFC competitions, that changes how the whole league is perceived.”
Long-term vision
“Clubs have to think long term and look ahead four years and more,” Prabhakaran says. “They have to strengthen every aspect. It can’t just be all about the first team. They need to ask where they want to be in 10 years.” Finding the right broadcasting partner is key. “The initial value won’t be high, but the World Cup helps,” he adds. “They need a stable broadcaster who is ready to build the property and then think of monetising in three or four years.”
“The World Cup has energised the whole population,” Prabhakaran says, “and there is an obvious question: ‘Why India is not there?’ The next question has to be: ‘What are we doing to change that?’ So we have to support the clubs and the leagues and give these millions of football discussions that are happening somewhere to go now that the World Cup is over.”
