I League Open To More Corporate Teams

Hope is not lost for Indian players players not picked up in the recently held Hero India Super League (HISL) draft. The Al India football Federation (AIFF) is going to advertise for more corporate entities to enter the I League. “We are going to advertise in a weeks’ time for corporates to enter the I league. The floor is open to any corporate fulfilling the I League criteria,” stated I League CEO Sunando Dhar in an exclusive interview.

“Churchill Brothers or even other teams like JCT can come through the corporate route if they meet the criteria. We have no problems and there is no bias. Teams can enter the I league after topping the second division of the I league too. There are no hard and fast rules. The club licensing criteria has to be met. That is all” stated Sunando  Dhar.

“The idea of getting corporate teams is so that the clubs will be run professionally. Corporates will be required to infuse a lot of money .Obviously; there will be returns for the teams and players. A time frame for returns cannot be set at this stage,” disclosed Sunando.

“The I League is here to stay. I have never said of for that matter no one from the AIFF has said that the I League will merge with the ISL. If that was to be so , we would not be advertising for more corporates to join ,” said Sunando while trying to allay fears that the I League will make way for the ISL.

The following are some of the criteria to be met:

1: New clubs will have to pay an annual license fee of Rs 3 crores for next 5 years;

2: The new club gets immunity from relegation (like Bharat FC this year) for three years subject to conditions. They get to play in the I league for four seasons;

3: Successful bidders have net worth of more than 500 crores and will be required to submit a corporate guarantee;

4: Successful bidders having net worth less than 500 crores will be required to submit a bank guarantee of Rs 100 crores.

According to I League rules, new clubs bidding for direct entry shall undertake three essential activities: 1”Creating /leasing stadium. Club gets a timeframe of five years to build the new stadium; 2: An annual review of the progress will be undertaken by AIFF against the timelines mentioned by the incumbent in their proposal. In case of no compliance the clubs may lose the no relegation immunity”.

Highly placed sources in the AIFF disclosed to THE GOAN that “at least one corporate team is expected to put in the papers this year”. “ I do not want to comment now. Let us wait and see how corporates respond,” summed up Sunando.