Glimmer of hope as ISL clubs examine AIFF’s 20-year model

Panaji: For the first time in several months, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and clubs appear to be looking in the same direction, raising hopes that the top league could now kick off in early February.

The AIFF has presented a 20-season plan for the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL) to be owned and operated by the federation – as per its new constitution -- with participating clubs paying Rs 1 crore as participation fee and revenue shareholders contributing annually to the league’s operational budget proportionately as per their percentage of shares.

As per the proposal shared with participating clubs in a virtual meeting on Friday, the participating clubs will be majority shareholders at 50%, contributing Rs 35 crore to the general revenue pool, while the commercial partner can take up 30% share for Rs 21 crore. The AIFF has a 10% stake for a contribution of Rs 7 crore while the other 10% share is earmarked for club allocation for ‘fixed revenue share’.

The central operations budget for next season has been pegged at Rs 70 crore.

“The AIFF’s proposal seems to have been well received by the clubs,” AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan told TOI after the meeting. “We hope this positivity translates into starting the league, which is of primary importance. The players and several other stakeholders are affected. We are hoping we can wrap things up within the next 10 days and then announce the date for the commencement of the league.”

The AIFF has called for a meeting of all clubs on Dec 29 in Delhi where it expects to finalise the long-term proposal and also decide on the format for this season.

While no date has been fixed, the AIFF is looking at Feb 7 as the start date for this year’s league, providing the clubs at least a month’s notice to get themselves in shape for the top tier competition. Most clubs have paused first team operations due to the uncertainty surrounding the league.

“In principle, the framework that has been presented is correct, though we need to look at the finer points,” said a club official who attended the meeting and was “positively surprised” at the proposal. “The proposal is closer to what we have been saying. Why did it take AIFF so long to come to such a conclusion, rather than insist on a mandatory annual rights fee?”

The clubs said they will need AIFF to answer a few queries, particularly relating to governance and rights of the commercial partner, without whom this model might not work.

“At least for the first two or three years, it might not be easy to find a commercial partner who’s willing to put in Rs 21 crore annually, without control or even a major say over the league,” said another official. “For example, if the commercial partner wants weekend matches, played under lights, and AIFF decides to it during daytime, they can do nothing about it.”

The AIFF said governance of the league would be overseen by a board that would be empowered by its general body with “certain operational autonomy over commercial matters of the league.”

In some respects, the AIFF proposal is similar to the one presented by FSDL earlier this year, with 60% of the equity share being distributed equally among all ISL clubs, 26% to FSDL and the remaining 14% to the governing body. The federation, however, turned down the proposal since it wanted an assured sum annually to run its activities.

THINKING LONG TERMThe top league will be owned and operated by the AIFF. It will have an open model incorporating promotion and relegation across tiers of the pyramid

AIFF’s fixed revenue share will be 10% with yearly contribution of Rs 7 crore, which it will invest in youth leagues

Clubs will collectively take 50% shares for Rs 35 crore, while the commercial partner gets 30% for Rs 21 crore annually

Relegated team will have to give up their participation share to the promoted team. Two percent of the central pool has been earmarked for parachute payments, a maximum of 1% per club per season for two seasons

Operational expenses, salary cap and long-term protection of investment will be discussed next week

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