CHENNAI: Even as the AIFF and their marketing partners IMG-Reliance look set to plough ahead with their roadmap for Indian football, I-League clubs have floated a new plan that envisages a 20-team league next season.
Owners and officials of various clubs revealed the blueprint that they had come up with, on the sidelines of the I-League trophy presentation ceremony here. Representatives of eight I-League clubs barring Real Kashmir had convened in Chennai on Tuesday to discuss the plan. The end result of that is what they call the ‘Indian Football League’. While Real Kashmir officials were not part of the discussion, it is understood that they have expressed their support to the idea in writing.
“We want a unified league and we are naming it the Indian Football League,” said Debasish Dutta, a Mohun Bagan director. “It will have ten teams from ISL and ten teams from I-League. It will also have a 16-team second division. Everyone will benefit from this because the financial model that we have given is sustainable, unlike the ISL where every club makes huge losses.”
Dutta stressed that theirs was an inclusive approach and that they would be happy to have ISL franchises on board. “ISL franchises are investing a lot of money in Indian football and we don’t want to lose them. We want them to stay. We don’t want them to go invest in other sports.”
The plan proposes a 20-team league with two clubs relegated and promoted, that will see 380 matches being played over the season (ISL currently has 95 matches). The clubs foresee a net sponsorship revenue of Rs 325 crores over the season from which the teams will get Rs 12 crores each. AIFF will get an amount of Rs 50 crores while Rs 32 crores will be distributed to the second division teams. A parachute payment of Rs 2 crores will be given to the relegated clubs. Each team will also pay Rs 2 crores to FSDL as a participation fee. The plan also proposes that a cup tournament be held concurrent to the league similar to the FA Cup.
Ready to play Super Cup
The clubs also reiterated they were ready to play the Super Cup as long as AIFF president Praful Patel agreed to discuss the proposed plans. But the offer came with a caveat. “If at all it happens, the Super Cup will have to start from the qualifying round,” Dutta said. This would mean Minerva Punjab, Aizawl FC and Gokulam Kerala, who had forfeited their qualifiers would get to play those matches again.