PTI
MUMBAI: The AIFF today set up a marketing committee to promote I-League, the country’s premier but struggling football competition. This was decided here today at a joint meeting of the office-bearers of the federation, its marketing and commercial partner IMG-Reliance and representatives of I-League clubs.
“During the meeting it was decided to form a marketing committee which will look into the promotional plan for I-League and would have members from AIFF, clubs, IMG-Reliance and Ten Sports – the official broadcaster. The committee will meet next Friday,” said a joint statement issued by AIFF, IMG-R and I-League clubs.
To draw up the much-delayed I-League schedule for the coming season, another committee was set also up which is to meet on August 29, the statement said. It described today’s meeting, held to discuss marketing and promotional plans for I-League, as “fruitful”.
The statement, however, made no mention about whether the club representatives, AIFF and IMG-R had deliberated on the contentious issue of the federation’s decision to hold a franchise-based football league with IMG-R on the lines of the highly popular Indian Premier League in cricket. The clubs have opposed the idea of IPL-like league, which is to run from January to March, and refused to take on loan players from the proposed competition or provide on loan footballers to take part in it.
While most club members did not raise the issue of IMG-R tournament, it was Churchill Bros’ CEO Valanka Alemao who sought to know the fate of the players and officials who would have to be totally idle during the two-and-half months period. Since it did not form part of the agenda and with no support from the others, the meeting was brought to an end just with that question.
The officials of IMG-R were overconfident that the new tournament would be a glamorous affair attracting huge eyeballs and that they even had the blessing of AFC with AIFF more than keen to launch the IPL-style event in January.
Raj Gomes, president of IPFCA, stated that there was no discussion about the new event since it did not form part of the agenda. “There was no talk at all on the franchise oriented event.”
Raj disclosed that Chirag Thanna of Pune FC and Vivek Salgaocar of Salgaocar FC were nominated for the marketing committee and that the clubs would meet on Thursday to finalise the draw for I-League and scheduling of Federation Cup.
