In the last decade the investment by MNC’s has been seismic. The formation of Indian Super League with a view to glamourize Indian football with big names and Bollywood stars has not proved to be a fruitful one. However, the platform for engaging big brands and groups has brought a sense of professionalism to the way Indian football functions. We have seen ISL clubs in the form of Mumbai City FC being taken over by the City Football group (CFG). The investment by Indian bigwigs like JSW and Tata in Bengaluru FC and Jamshedpur FC has seen the ISL grown into the top league in India, replacing the I-League.
We take a look at the investors who have taken a punt on the league and Indian football as a whole.
1. Hero
Hero has been the title sponsor of ISL since its inaugural edition. The motor giant company has become a major sponsor of all of India’s national sides, with a strong brand presence at stadiums for all home games through pitchside electronic boards, as well as across the teams’ various social media platforms. As per the sources, the deal is in the range of 180-190 crores and will include the Title Sponsorship of ISL, I-league, Indian team sponsorships, 2nd division league, women league & all junior leagues.
2. Six5Six
Gurgaon-based sportswear brand Six5Six replaced Nike as the official kit sponsor of the Indian football team starting with the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Previously, Nike used to supply football kits to the Indian national team but paid no money to AIFF. Six5Six had already gained entry into the Indian football market by sponsoring Kerala Blasters since 2019. The deal between Six5Six is reportedly valued around 1.5 to 2 crores annually.
3. Odisha Government
The state government of Odisha is a strategic partner of the AIFF. The agreement sees the state providing access to their impressive training and stadium facilities for various Indian national teams across age groups. This focus on sports development is a vital part of the Odisha Government's initiative to reach out to the youth of the country and give them a platform to fulfill their dreams. The Odisha government pledged 5 crore rupees in a sponsorship deal with AIFF in 2018 with a view to develop the youth teams under the ambit of AIFF.
4. FSDL
In 2010, The International Management Group (IMG)- Reliance Industries Limited signed as AIFF’s commercial partner by signing a 15 year agreement worth Rs 700 crore, in what was one of the most lucrative deals in Indian sports. The joint venture led to the formation of Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL). In 2018, IMG exited from FSDL citing reasons that the company did not want to own a league. Currently RIL and Star Sports have a 65:35 stake in the league. There have been an array of controversies with respect to the functioning of Indian football by FSDL under the chairmanship of Nita Ambani.
In 2020, The ISL entered into a new deal with the Premier League which will see the Indian Super League (ISL) and the Premier League work together to share knowledge and expertise in all areas of football including governance, talent development, commercial growth, administration and wider community development.
