Indian game offers opportunities for Premier League

India remains football’s greatest untapped market.  The just-completed first competition of the Indian Super League IISL) could offer a growth market for clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester City.

The Premier League has been advising the ISL.  Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore forecasts, ‘If the Indian League keeps doing well, then a number of top English clubs are going to strike strategic partnerships with teams here, and perhaps even take ownership stakes.’

India remains football’s greatest untapped market.  The just-completed first competition of the Indian Super League IISL) could offer a growth market for clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester City.

The Premier League has been advising the ISL.  Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore forecasts, ‘If the Indian League keeps doing well, then a number of top English clubs are going to strike strategic partnerships with teams here, and perhaps even take ownership stakes.’

First out of the blocks from Europe is Atlético Madrid who have bought a minority stake in Atlético Kolkata which they describe as their ‘first international franchise’.

Average crowds of about 26,000 in the ISL compare favourably with attendance levels in the early days of other newly launched leagues such as America’s Major League Soccer.  Tickets priced as low as Rs150 (£2.37) helped to draw in fans.

The league is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s Star Television with Indian billonaire Mukesh Ambani and sports management group IMG.  It lost a lot of money in its first year. Profitability is not expected for four or five years.  

Its eight clubs are mostly backed by minor Indian industrialists who paid about $10m for twenty year franchises.    Sponsorship has proved a particular challenge.  A handful of big name brands did sign up, including Indian carmaker Maruti Suzuki and South Korean electronics group Samsung.  However. more will be needed next season, while sustaining support interest could be challenging as the novelty wears off,