Mumbai:
Football franchises spent around Rs 24 crore in the two-day domestic player draft for the upcoming inaugural Indian Super League, which concluded in Mumbai on Wednesday.
“The Rs 24 crore that was spent (by franchises) was a lot of money. We got into this venture three and a half years ago. Today it was very fulfilling this (draft) has happened. It has been a historic couple of days,” said Jefferson Slack, senior vice president (global business development - football) of IMG, who are joint promoters of the IPL-style league along with Reliance and broadcasters Star India.
“This is a big step by IMG. We have invested money with our partners for improving Indian football. This is the first time we have done so. Indians are big football fans on television. The football world and FIFA want India to be successful. That is why this is a unique property for IMG,” Slack told after the conclusion of the two-day player draft in which 84 domestic footballers were picked by the franchises.
The break-up of the amount spent by the six franchises, which took part in the draft is: Athletico de Kolkata - Rs 3.91 crore, Delhi Dynamos - Rs 2.81 crore, Kerala Blasters Rs 3.31 crore, Bengaluru Rs 3.04 crore, Mumbai - Rs 3.76 crore and Pune - Rs 3.19 crore.
The remaining amount was spent by the other two franchises - Goa and North East United FC - who had finalised their domestic players before today’s draft and announced them over the last two days.
Star India president Nitin Kukreja said the exact dates of the tournament, for which the All India Football Federation has left a window open between September 18 and December 7, are still not decided.
“We are nearly there in terms of finalising. It will be done by next week as we are still in discussion,” he stated.
Slack said an anti-corruption measure would be put in place and the footballers will be educated about the dangers of unscrupulous bookies approaching them to fix games, as part of ISL’s tie-up with the most glamorous and costly football league in the world - English Premier League.
