I spent the whole of last night reading this entire thread! A great read from the start, but like ISL, Masala has to be part of this thread! I am a sceptic when it comes to ISL, and if I proven wrong I will humbly accept my mistake,
Like people here say - Pro-ISL/Anti-ISL lets all come together for the good of Indian Football!
@Gaffertape you have been a standout from the start with outstanding posts filled with Insider information which is spot on!
This is a forum & everybody here is entitled to their opinion so respect that! Don't hate just cause someone has a different opinion!
There was a statement that one of the reasons why Reliance decided to start ISL & not improve I-League was because AIFF is crappy. Yes sir! AIFF is crappy, but here is where my opinion differs, AIFF is so crappy that they sold their soul to IMG-Reliance in 700 cr ALL COMMERCIAL RIGHTS deal for 15 years This I quote frm the Reliance press release -
"The agreement with AIFF grants IMG Reliance all commercial rights to football in India, including
sponsorship, advertising, broadcasting, merchandising, film, video and data, intellectual property,
franchising and new league rights" which basically means Reliance had an option to revamp I-league sidelining AIFF - which is shown in 8 different revenue streams but they choose last one - new league rights
They applied their corporate brains, decided to be the sole authority where every club & every player depends on them & can make a buck in every tissue paper sold! Can't complain!
Here is my takeaway - Unlike rest of the world, No one cares about fans in India. Corporates, Media & Authorities decided what should happen and as long as it is loud & colourful ( read Bollywood, celebrity, political link) & multichannel broadcast ( so it is everywhere!) We ( including me) will lap it up! Some football is better than no football! Yes this is definitely a boost for infrastructure even if it is limited to Players area+ Pitch
So I will enjoy this league & when it ends go scream my lungs out for my club, which ever division they play!
@Gaffertape was at the game. Goes to show whatever differences of opinion we have we are after all Indian football Lovers :-) and for me that's a big thumbs UP. we all want to be proud as Indian fans and hope someday we will be..
another article on ISL which i felt is balanced and well written. .below is the Conclusion ...once again warns about sustainibility which requires gross roots developments
"Yesterday, Kolkata dispatched Mumbai with goals from Lemessa, Borja and Arnal, but the football on display was mediocre. The ISL has sold a product—extravaganza over sustainability and quality. Leagues can generate fans, TV-rights, sponsors and other means of income, but without good football and substantial investment in the grassroots, they are bound to falter."
I could not see the Opening ceremony nor the full match . My observations are only based on the 4 minute match summary video and my visit to the ISL website
(A) TV broadcast standards are something we have never ever seen in Indian Football ,in fact its top notch.
(B) The “ The CL Type European “ commentary + Referee with comm gear + Vanishing Spray + Electronic Advt Boards lining the Side-lines just makes you wonder is this really in India.
(C) Standard of match was higher than the Average I-league Matches and maybe at the same level as a MB-EB hotly contested Derby.
This ATK match was more definitely fast paced but lets agree that it had a lot of factors in its favour (1) match Played in the Evening after sun down , no chance same standard was even remotely possible for a 3 pm/4 pm match I-league start 2) The Higher Quality ISL Foreign Players overall standards are above the average I-league Foreigner we see.
(D) Indian Players on the whole were at I-league Standards of play.
At present ISL cannot be faulted for the kind of media attention it has been able to garner worldwide for its pet project. Kudos to them on that. This kind of promotion and Marketing that is done especially with the promotional videos and Match highlights is something us indian Footy fans have not seen before and frankly very exciting. Its got the World Media Interested and all of us Salivating about the future.
Its done a great job here. But lets not get carried away by the glitz glamor and excitement. They are still so many basic questions unanswered.
I still do not have the faintest clue as yet how IMG – Reliance is set to go about with grass roots developments. Things like a full-fledged National League for U20 , U18 or Football Academies which will actually grow the Football ecosystems and push us to a top 10 in Asia.
Will it be only and only if ISL turns Profitable?. Else will they pull the plug on The deal with AIFF
@silicon3 last few kolkata derby were actually average or below average than other i league games. Derby cames are highly contested, but cant say quality is high
and i am just guessing, but probably this post took you longer than the time you watched the game (4 mins, as you mentioned). #JustSaying
IMG have no problem in promoting I-League. But, why spend money when there are no takers. Again, there is this point of sustainability. I-League is not eye catching. For eye catching football you need, good foreigners keeping the Indians at a constant level. For that you need money. Ain't nobody got MONEY in I-LEAGUE.
Comments
another article on ISL which i felt is balanced and well written. .below is the Conclusion ...once again warns about sustainibility which requires gross roots developments
"Yesterday, Kolkata dispatched Mumbai with goals
from Lemessa, Borja and Arnal, but the football on display was mediocre.
The ISL has sold a product—extravaganza over sustainability and
quality. Leagues can generate fans, TV-rights, sponsors and other means
of income, but without good football and substantial investment in the
grassroots, they are bound to falter."
I could
not see the Opening ceremony nor the full match . My observations are only
based on the 4 minute match summary video and my visit to the ISL website
(A) TV broadcast standards are something we have never
ever seen in Indian Football ,in fact its top notch.
(B) The “ The CL Type European “ commentary + Referee with comm gear + Vanishing Spray + Electronic Advt Boards
lining the Side-lines just makes you wonder is this really in India.
(C) Standard of match was higher than the Average
I-league Matches and maybe at the same
level as a MB-EB hotly contested Derby.
This
ATK match was more definitely fast paced but lets agree that it had a lot of
factors in its favour (1) match Played in the Evening after sun down , no
chance same standard was even remotely
possible for a 3 pm/4 pm match I-league
start 2) The Higher Quality ISL Foreign
Players overall standards are above the average
I-league Foreigner we see.
(D) Indian Players on the whole were at I-league Standards of play.
At
present ISL cannot be faulted for the kind of media attention it has been able
to garner worldwide for its pet project. Kudos to them on that. This kind of
promotion and Marketing that is done especially with the promotional videos and
Match highlights is something us indian Footy fans have not seen before and
frankly very exciting. Its got the World Media Interested and all of us
Salivating about the future.
Its done
a great job here. But lets not get carried away by the glitz glamor and
excitement. They are still so many basic questions unanswered.
I still
do not have the faintest clue as yet how IMG – Reliance is set to go about with
grass roots developments. Things like a full-fledged National League for U20 ,
U18 or Football Academies which will
actually grow the Football ecosystems and push us to a top 10 in Asia.
Will it
be only and only if ISL turns Profitable?. Else will they pull the plug on The
deal with AIFF