 "Clubs surprised as AIFF keen to explore ISL options without commercial partner: Report")
All India Football Federation (AIFF) is keen to explore the options of organising Indian Super League (ISL) in collaboration with the clubs. The crisis in Indian football has kept growing as the lack of a commercial partner continues to be a hindrance in going ahead with country’s top tier football league.
As per a report in The Times of India, after the clubs had written to AIFF to form a consortium to organise the league, the federation has agreed to include the suggestion into the agenda.
AIFF responds to clubs
According to the report, 13 out of the 14 clubs that were to participate in this season’s ISL wrote to AIFF urging them to remove clauses in the constitution so that a commercial partner could be arranged at the earliest.
The clubs had also said that they could form a consortium to own and operate the league till a sponsor comes on board. AIFF was told to consider this proposal and it turns out the federation is keen on exploring this as an option.
The federation has told clubs to work towards a solution that will help the proposal to be included in the agenda points for the general body on December 20.
“It goes without saying that over the last 10-15 years, the marketing partner (FSDL) and clubs have jointly made significant investments to bring meaningful changes to Indian club football,” AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan wrote in a letter to club CEOs on Wednesday according to The Times of India.
“To safeguard these investments, it is necessary that we work on a war footing to minimise any loss of time.
“We agree that a long-term solution is needed. However, football must not lose its continuity, and therefore, the league should commence at the earliest,” said Satyanarayan
Clubs surprised
The clubs are yet to officially respond to AIFF’s communication but the report states that they have shown surprise over the federation’s willingness to move ahead without a commercial partner.
The report says that in unofficial meetings, questions have been raised about how the federation will raise funds to run other leagues or even pay staff salaries, including that of the national team.
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