MUMBAI: Under criticism from all quarters over lack of action to improve the condition of football in the country, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and its marketing partner IMG Reliance are planning a IPL-style franchise-based league that would run parallel to I League, the national club competition.

?The franchise based league was always part of the contract with IMG Reliance, but as of now nothing has been finalised. We received a lot of suggestions on how to go about the league,? AIFF general secretary Kushal Das told Indiantelevision.

The AIFF today held a meeting at its headquarters in New Delhi attended by its members as well as representatives of IMGR.

Some members suggested keeping the league limited to six franchises while some suggested having an eight team event. ?We will be inviting franchises for the league, I League club owners can also take part in the process. However, we are yet to finalise anything,? asserted Das.

While it is true that the AIFF and IMGR faced flak from I League clubs for failing to bring about any perceptible change in Indian football, what also got the two parties working is the launch of Premier League Soccer in West Bengal which stole the limelight and grabbed international attention.

The Indian Football Association sanctioned league which saw millions of dollars being splurged on franchises and players has hit rough waters since it was announced with much fun-fare. The league which was expected to be held in March had to be postponed due to lack of proper infrastructure and support from the state government.

The AIFF is planning to create a two-month window after the conclusion of I-League. However, questions are being raised whether players will be able to participate in the competition after playing for six months of grueling football in the I League.

To accommodate the new league and to take care of player fatigue the AIFF might consider shortening the I League as well. ?There were suggestions that the I League should be shortened to accommodate the new league,? added Das.

The AIFF is confident that both Indian and international players will be part of the league. Fabio Cannavaro and Hernan Crespo, who were part of the PLS, are likely to play alongside top Indian players like Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua and Syed Rahim Nabi.

The Indian Football Association (West Bengal), the governing body of football in West Bengal, had signed a 30-year deal with Celebrity Management Group to launch the PLS on the lines of US? Major League Soccer. The PLS had earned Rs 797.5 million from the sale of six franchises.

Players like Hernan Crespo, Jay Jay Okocha, Concecao, Robert Pires and Fabio Cannavaro had signed up as icon players. The international media rights of the league were sold to sports media company MP & Silva.

MUMBAI: In a bid to ensure that the i-League is run in a more professional manner, 12 of its club owners and representatives have decided to launch the Indian Professional Football Clubs Association (IPFCA). There has been concern that while two clubs Mahindra United and JCT closed down, no corrective steps have been taken.

The clubs have not been happy over how the AIFF and IMG Reliance have been running things. Pune FC owner Nandan Piramal said that such an association is required to safeguard the interests of the clubs. "The association will work with AIFF and IMG to chalk out a future plan for Indian football".

The objectives include:

-Promote and safeguard the common interests of the clubs, popularise the i-League across India.

- Help make the i-League sustainable and profitable, Encourage the formation of new professional clubs

- Share best practices among member clubs

- Get the i-League teams to play in the Asian Champions league.

The clubs want a revenue model and planning for the long term. "There is no revenue model currently and we all spend around Rs 150 million individually (Rs 1.50 billion combined). Assuming we get Rs 5 million each through travel subsidy, food allowance and stay, all we get is Rs 70 million combined. How long can we sustain our clubs, that?s the concern," said Piramal.

The club owners had met AIFF and IMG-Reliance on 21 February. "We have been promised that a proper revenue model and a road map would be given to us on 30 April," said Piramal.

MUMBAI: Brand Value Communications has been signed as the regional broadcast partner for the I-League football 2011-2012 season.

This is the second consecutive regional broadcast deal with BVCL for IMG Reliance, who owns the commercial rights for AIFF events including the recently concluded Federation Cup and upcoming I-League.

Brand Value Communications will be broadcasting I-League 75 matches through their channels News Time Bangla and News Time Assam in West Bengal and Assam respectively.

The I-League starts on 22 October and runs until the end of April 2012. 14 teams participate in the League which comprises 182 matches across 26 rounds.

Started in 2007, the I-League replaced the National Football League, which ran for 11 seasons

A spokesperson from IMG Reliance said, "After our association with BVCL for the Federation Cup, IMG Reliance is pleased to have signed Brand Value Communications Ltd as regional broadcaster across West Bengal and the North East for the I-League?s 2011-2012 season."

A BVCL spokesperson said, "I-league being at the top of the Indian Football league system would be an essential part in the bouquet of BVCLs football telecast all through the year. News time Bangla and News Time Assam endeavours to cater to the football lover in both these states, and has had enormous viewer response during the federation cup. Telecast of I-league live on BVCLs channels would be an endorsement of our support for the game and our effort to reach out to the huge fan base in these two states. I league is a premier competition of the country and has enormous potential on TV; News Time intends to benefit from the viewership pie for the same."

AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das is delighted that BVCL added, "It is an extremely encouraging trend that regional broadcasters are taking such initiatives so that football becomes visible in the regions and hoped that more such channels come forward in other regions."
 
 

MUMBAI: Brand Value Communications Ltd. (BVCL) will broadcast the 33rd edition of the Federation Cup through their channels, News Time Bangla and News Time Assam, across West Bengal and the North East.

Instituted by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 1977, the Federation Cup is an annual knockout style tournament and is India?s longest running club team competition.

The main phase matches will commence on 17 September and will be played simultaneously in Pune and Kolkata. The semifinals will be played on 25 and 26 September and the finals on 29 September, both in Kolkata. The qualifying round for the tournament began on 8 September.

The spokesperson from IMG Reliance said, "As part of our continued commitment to promote sports, and in particular football, IMG Reliance is pleased to have signed with BVCL a young and dynamic regional broadcaster, which will cater to audiences across West Bengal and the North East during the entire season of the Federation Cup."

?Football on News Time Bangla and News Time Assam is an endeavour to touch the huge base of football lovers in West Bengal and in the North-East of India and reignite the passion for the game. BVCL feels that the glory and the glamour of the game showcased at the local level will go a long way in promoting the game and encouraging followers and budding talent alike,? stated a BVCL spokesperson.