allmost every matches in all middle east countries are played in empty stadium or partly fill. Their ground is nice, stadium is beautiful but still supporters do not come. Few supporters take a loudspeaker and sing songs. Thats the usual scenario in Qatar,Oman,Kuwait,Saudia Arabia,UAE
According to some fans on reddit, top teams in Iran, UAE, and Saudi Arabia can get crowds.
I watched Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) in the AFC Champions League quarters and it felt like no one was in the stadium. Same in the UAE... hell, when we played there in 2011 there was barely anyone in the ground.
Iran have what I would describe as two teams that East Bengal and Mohun Bagan should have turned into. Esteghlal and Persepolis.
@ArsenalFan700 ; IPL or HIL are organised by Association which is an elected body. AIFF never say that they organise ISL. If a Businessman say that they own a League, that goes against the credibility of the league where there is no supervision, recognition, implementation of laws or accountability. I wonder why even the Transfers from clubs are recognised.
@munna219777 LOOK AT THAT CROWD!!!! Maybe a few teams can get crowds and it was packed for the ACL final last season but from the games I have seen this year, Qatar and Saudi Arabia need work. UAE is nice and Iran... nice.....
I do agree about the ISL. In fact that is exactly what Nita did today... the league is hers. Technically it is IMG-Reliance's with STAR Sports. The whole thing is honestly so fucked up! I despise the AIFF and obviously dislike the I-League but now I am really on the fence about the ISL... feels like our souls are ripped out and we can do nothing now.
It really could have been simple. Teams in Assam, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Kerala, two in Kolkata, Mumbai, and maybe Punjab. 10 teams. 27 games. Simple! If we can have Bengaluru FC then why on this earth can we not have 9 other teams somewhat like that... at least on paper! I am not calling for a grand old copy of Bengaluru FC but at least on paper seem like a real team that cares and that is willing to invest in the sport.
Play in a moderately sized stadium (Ambedkar Stadium, EMS Stadium etc), become part of the community, keep close to AFC foreign player rules, if not to them, start youth schools/clinics/teams etc at low costs. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Is it really that hard to expect a proper, well done, football league.
Finally @ArsenalFan700 you are seeing the big picture of how deeply #IMG/#aiff nexus is fucking whatever was left of our football.....the irony is that they had a clean slate and could easily have done so much better ( made money and help indian football)....but public good is an alien concept
I would say that Saudi got one of the best crowd support in Arab world. It may vary from club to club. The clubs of Riyadh and Jeddah have good crowd and they got both inter and intra city Rivalry between each other. When they play each other, it is good crowd.
Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait are really lost cause. Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran also has decent crowd for their clubs but AFC Club is screwed because of security situation.
@deepakc I am now seeing the big picture? Really? Notice how I have never actually said I supported the ISL, at least I don't think I have, and if I did then I refute that. @Ashlesh for example had given his support but I have never did. I was always suspect about the league since the day it was announced a franchise league would be started in 2011/12... it just looked like I was an ISL supporter cause a lot of people on here, when they do bash the ISL, do it for the wrong reasons (pity reasons I call them) and act as if the I-League and AIFF were good willed people who would never do anything wrong.
If anything I have always tried to maintain that the ISL, while I don't support it, is here to stay and that we must work with it. That is what I try to say and it is only now, after Nita's recent comment and more and more indications over who really runs the league came out, that I am now allowed to express myself.
It is funny. I do most of the time agree with the sentiments of you, @AKB, @EastBengalPride but I always felt you guys went for the wrong targets. Blaming the wrong things while seemingly advocating for something that is equally, if not more, stupid. Not to say I never agree with the pro-ISL people as well but they to also get the wrong ideas to debate about.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOu2IWmrxic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK2i5T4XQP0
Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait are really lost cause. Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran also has decent crowd for their clubs but AFC Club is screwed because of security situation.