Stakeholders & Sports Minister meet; no immediate solution proposed for Indian Football crisis

The AIFF, clubs, bidders, and FSDL held a meeting with the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports on Wednesday.

The stakeholders in Indian Football made another attempt to find a solution to the ongoing chaos that has delayed the start of the new football season in India. This time, at the centre of all the discussion was the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya met with all the stakeholders, including the All India Football Federation (AIFF), clubs, broadcasters, and FSDL. No immediate solution was proposed after the meeting, but the government has committed to the cause and lent its support to break the deadlock.

Representation from the clubs

Both ISL and I-League clubs had separate discussions with the SAI and sports ministry officials before a joint meeting chaired by the sports minister at the end.

The concerns of the ISL clubs were put forth by FC Goa’s CEO, Ravi Puskur. He demanded changes in the newly adopted constitution, which was drafted by Justice (Retd.) L. Nageswara Rao.

The FC Goa CEO advocated for the long-term viability of the league, supported by an ecosystem that is flexible to the demands of the game and its development.

For the I-League clubs, Real Kashmir owner Arshad Shawl informed the Minister about the obstacles faced by the I-League clubs and their possible solutions. His primary focus was on the mandatory application of the promotion and relegation.

The I-League clubs also demanded a single commercial partner for all the leagues to avoid conflict. In a major shift in their stance, East Bengal batted for an AIFF-owned and run league, contrary to the consensus reached among ISL clubs earlier.

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Proposed ecosystem a handicap for FSDL & broadcasters

In the meeting with the Minister, FSDL expressed its inability to continue its association with AIFF and invest in Indian Football. FSDL informed the minister that the proposed tender by the federation leaves no margin for return on investment, as the power dynamics in operating the league are skewed in AIFF’s favour.

Bidders like FanCode, Zee Sports, and existing broadcaster JioHotstar also supported FSDL’s claims of marginal returns on investment.

The broadcaster made it clear that the state of the national team and its performance has had a cascading effect on the viewership, and without strong financial backing, it would not be possible to make the league financially viable.

Dispute over ownership model

There were altercations in the meeting, where different club officials and other stakeholders came to loggerheads regarding the ownership model of the league.

Ranjit Bajaj, who has been the owner of Minerva Punjab and Delhi FC, proposed an ownership model in which AIFF owns the league.

ISL club officials, Vinay Chopra, representing Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and Dhruv Sood of Sporting Club Delhi, countered Bajaj. They said that the most successful leagues, such as the Premier League, are owned by the clubs, and the federation has no ownership rights over the league.

Government stands steadfast with Indian Football

The Union Government, represented by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, expressed its willingness to attract private investment into the sporting ecosystem. The Minister asked all stakeholders to find a solution that focuses on both short-term and long-term interests.

Now, the government will inform the Supreme Court about the discussions held with all stakeholders and wait for the next step. The master rights agreement between the AIFF and the FSDL expires on December 8, and the clubs want a tentative roadmap before that.

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