Ardeshir Jeejeebhoy, the chief executive of Liverpool FC International Football Academy, DSK Shivajians, launched in Pune this year, talks about the potential of India’s football industry.
Is there a growing interest from corporates in football in India and why?
For a country that has been cricket-centric, recent developments in the world of Indian sports have shown Indian audiences’ growing interest and acceptance in sports as varied as football, motorsports, kabaddi and tennis, among others. The growing TV viewership for the Fifa World Cup and football leagues from Europe has shown the increasing popularity of football as a viewership sport in India. The game has always been followed at a regional level and one would hope with the ISL that the game is accepted across the country. The encouraging signs of the growth of football in India has also caught the interest of corporates and celebrities who are looking at this sport as a serious business.
What do you think the Indian Super League (ISL) will do for football in the country in terms of the business and sponsorship potential of the sport?
There is optimism around the ISL, as the league has attracted a number of well-known names both on and off the field from across the country and internationally. India is on every investor’s radar across industries. The opportunity sport brings and the franchise model has been proved with the runaway success of the IPL (Indian Premier League cricket tournament). Football has the potential to be the next big sport in the country. Stakeholders from within India and the global football fraternity have realised the benefits which would follow if the game in India grows in not just popularity but also participation. India being awarded to host the U-17 World Cup by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) is a testimony to the fact that the world wants football in India to succeed. Commercial revenues for football in India will follow.
Do you think the ISL is going to be economically successful and why?
The ISL has the potential to be a winner. It has the key constituents to be commercially viable. ISL will generate audience and spectator interest. The challenge would be to convert interested audience and spectators into fans. The success of every sports property and franchise has always been dependent on its fans.
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