As the Indian Super League (ISL) gears up for its inaugural season, Goal’s Rahul Bali suggests that the success of the tournament relies on its on-field prowess…
When IMG-Reliance penned a deal with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) back in 2010, there was a mention to develop, operate and administer a new professional football league in the country.
The seeds of the Indian Super League (ISL) were sown back then. However, while one may criticize the organizers for taking four long years before the new league actually sees the light of the day, they have certainly captured the imagination of millions already.
What the ISL brings on the table is investors who are willing to take a massive hit at least for the next five to six years in order to build the property before hoping for any commercial gains. The new league has celeb owners from the world of cricket and Bollywood apart from corporate investment which has added the glitz and glamour.
The ISL’s primary aim is to ensure that the masses take to the sport. What better way to capture the imagination of the public than asking a Sachin Tendulkar or Ranbir Kapoor to promote football’s cause. While the die-hard football fans would cringe stating that football doesn’t need to be ‘Bollywoodized’, the fact of the matter is that the masses do follow what some of the above mentioned personalities do.
Why else would you have people from across the world taking the ‘ALS Ice Bucket Challenge’ and nominating each other following the footsteps of the A-listers despite many not even being aware why the challenge was introduced in the first place.
When IMG-Reliance penned a deal with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) back in 2010, there was a mention to develop, operate and administer a new professional football league in the country.
The seeds of the Indian Super League (ISL) were sown back then. However, while one may criticize the organizers for taking four long years before the new league actually sees the light of the day, they have certainly captured the imagination of millions already.
What the ISL brings on the table is investors who are willing to take a massive hit at least for the next five to six years in order to build the property before hoping for any commercial gains. The new league has celeb owners from the world of cricket and Bollywood apart from corporate investment which has added the glitz and glamour.
The ISL’s primary aim is to ensure that the masses take to the sport. What better way to capture the imagination of the public than asking a Sachin Tendulkar or Ranbir Kapoor to promote football’s cause. While the die-hard football fans would cringe stating that football doesn’t need to be ‘Bollywoodized’, the fact of the matter is that the masses do follow what some of the above mentioned personalities do.
Why else would you have people from across the world taking the ‘ALS Ice Bucket Challenge’ and nominating each other following the footsteps of the A-listers despite many not even being aware why the challenge was introduced in the first place.
Why else would the Indian Prime Minister nominate celebrities like Salman Khan, Aamir Khan to kick-start the ‘Swach India’ (Clean India) initiative. The idea being that the masses will take to it as well and thereby, make it an important aspect of their life.
The chant of ‘Let’s football’ has become contagious. The organizers have released the campaign not only on sports channels but also on general entertainment channels. What does this indicate? All of a sudden people of all age, be it a youngster or an old are asking questions about Indian football, which is something you could have never imagined in the past.
The organizers want those who do not follow football, which is also a large number to start taking notice of the world’s most popular game.
While the purists may suggest that the two and a half month format isn’t long enough to make a footballing impact on the nation, what it can do is get people hooked on to the sport as its format isn’t longer than that of a reality show like a Big Boss. The idea is that it is easy to keep the attention concentrated on a particular show for a short period than something which lasts through the year.
Despite all the marketing gimmicks and packaging, what will make ISL a success is it’s on field performance. While the traditional football fan who are regular consumers of the Premier League, La Liga and more, would instantly look to compare the standard of the game and turn up in numbers only if the game excites them, the masses would take to the sport if it keeps them entertained as many haven’t experienced the thrill of a European football game.
The Alessandro Del Pieros, Freddie Ljungbergs and et al will have to perform for their teams and excite the Indians. Yes, localized marketing content such as them wishing a ‘Happy Diwali’ or ‘Happy Dussera’ helps in establishing a connect, but that cannot be a substitute for on field performance.
It’s time for India to fasten their seat belts and get ready for the ISL as it prepares to take-off… as there is no harm in trying something unique when the traditional way isn’t working for many reasons.----GOAL.COM
The chant of ‘Let’s football’ has become contagious. The organizers have released the campaign not only on sports channels but also on general entertainment channels. What does this indicate? All of a sudden people of all age, be it a youngster or an old are asking questions about Indian football, which is something you could have never imagined in the past.
The organizers want those who do not follow football, which is also a large number to start taking notice of the world’s most popular game.
While the purists may suggest that the two and a half month format isn’t long enough to make a footballing impact on the nation, what it can do is get people hooked on to the sport as its format isn’t longer than that of a reality show like a Big Boss. The idea is that it is easy to keep the attention concentrated on a particular show for a short period than something which lasts through the year.
Despite all the marketing gimmicks and packaging, what will make ISL a success is it’s on field performance. While the traditional football fan who are regular consumers of the Premier League, La Liga and more, would instantly look to compare the standard of the game and turn up in numbers only if the game excites them, the masses would take to the sport if it keeps them entertained as many haven’t experienced the thrill of a European football game.
The Alessandro Del Pieros, Freddie Ljungbergs and et al will have to perform for their teams and excite the Indians. Yes, localized marketing content such as them wishing a ‘Happy Diwali’ or ‘Happy Dussera’ helps in establishing a connect, but that cannot be a substitute for on field performance.
It’s time for India to fasten their seat belts and get ready for the ISL as it prepares to take-off… as there is no harm in trying something unique when the traditional way isn’t working for many reasons.----GOAL.COM
No comments:
Post a Comment