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ISL likely to start on Sept 4; clubs asked to scout OCI players
Decisions taken at a meeting between representatives of ISL clubs, Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and AIFF officials including president Kalyan Chaubey
Kolkata: A new season of ISL with 14 teams playing home and away is likely to start on Sept 4 with clubs being asked to focus on players who are, or can qualify as Overseas Indian Citizen (OCI) card holders and keep at least one Indian striker on the pitch. A five-year plan to run the league with clubs and Genius Sport, whose bid to be AIFF’s commercial partner was the highest, was also placed.
These were proposed at a meeting between representatives of ISL clubs, including Diamond Harbour FC who were promoted to the top tier last term, Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and AIFF officials including president Kalyan Chaubey. Former federation president Praful Patel also attended as did owners of Sporting Club Delhi and Mumbai City FC.
It was Chaubey who made the suggestion about OCI players, Indian strikers and even looking at increasing Indians in the teams’ support staff, according to officials who attended the meeting. A proposal to club AIFF’s youth leagues with the Khelo India was made.
The clubs have proposed they will pay AIFF around ₹1.1 crore as ISL participation fee in the first year and invest ₹40-45 crore to run the league. Tenders will be issued for title sponsorship, data rights and broadcast rights. Genius Sports will be offered the data rights first, the officials said.
AIFF will need to speak with Genius Sports, who have pledged $7m with scope for an annual 5% increase, for the next 15+5 years about this proposal. AIFF and the clubs are likely to meet again in a week’s time.
