2015 Calcutta Football League Premier Division

ArsenalFan700

Ah, here we are then. The 2015-16 Indian football season kicks off today with probably the most historical league in India, the Calcutta Football League Premier Division. Started in 1898, the league has seen many India internationals grace it, and some other internationals from around the world as well. Also the home of three of India's biggest and most historical clubs, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan, the league also boasts other names of historical relevancy such as Techno Aryan, Southern Samity, and Tollygunje Agragami among others.

The season shall kick off today (4 August 2015) with Aryan taking on BNR and Southern Samity taking on Police AC. East Bengal shall begin their campaign on Saturday against Tollygunje Agragami. And Mohun Bagan wil kick off against Mohammedan on Sunday.

It shall be an interesting season. Many new faces should show up from both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan but lets also take a look and see who comes out from the other nine clubs as we see who can rise up and take the throne as West Bengal's football champion for 2015!!!!

ArsenalFan700

IFA unveils title sponsor for Calcutta Football League

deepakc

This will be great to engage and debate till ileague is close....thanks @ArsenalFan700.....Kolkatat boys please do share some scoop of the other pretenders (apart from big 2).....Southers Samity/Aryan (its Techno Aryan now right?, means they have a steady sponsor and some money), Tollygunge.....all should be contenders theoretically

ArsenalFan700

I just used the Techno Aryan name as that is what I am used to. I am not sure of their official name. The IFA have them down as Aryan Club.

http://www.ifawb.com/PremierDivision040815-070915.pdf

Also, you're welcome. Will try to update with scores and results.

Deb_Ban

As usual, great intro by @arsenalfan700. You almost made a mountain out of a molehill .

Deb_Ban

@deepakc, only news of CFL is turfs have become mud pools and unplayable.

Also, Techno Group most probably are not Aryans' sponsor any more. In fact, the club almost has become bankrupt. Their total budget is less than Rs 8 lakhs which is the amount their competitors are paying to one foreigner only.

deepakc

@Deb_Ban.....sigh!! was hoping to have atleast 2-3 semi pro sides with talented youngsters and a couple of foreigners who could pose a challenge looks like the Bengal economy cannot afford to sustain such footballing largesse anymore....

ArsenalFan700

Well, lets see. The league just signed a new title-sponsorship deal... lets see if that can trickle-down to the teams.

deepakc

I agree, this amongst the top 4 marketable products in Indian football but the money would be too late for semi serious sides to make additions to the team... Good thing is that IFA is making the right noises about taking the league beyond Kolkata (right now restricted to the suburbs)....if only they could magically try a pan Bengal league for a few seasons, it would definitely become the 3rd most marketable product in Indian Football (after ISL and ileague) and definitely above ileague 2 in its present form. Surely the top teams from Siliguri/Durgapur would atleast match the Tollygunge/BNR....and definitely attract more crowds for their home games.

The most effective way to do this (I suggest) is that IFA pre selects 8-10 venues across Bengal (with a stadia/dedicated training ground attached to a nearby school/college)and then invite bids from the participating teams to bid for each venue before the start of the season on a revenue sharing basis. This will make CFL a pan state league without doing an "ISL" (which would need starting new teams, and they would take time to get infra ready and attract spectators).

Deb_Ban

Ha ha nothing will trickle down except hope ... the sponsorship money will be spent to clear previous years' dues (including prize money).

@deepakc, your thinking is right. Unfortunately, IFA is too short-sighted to foresee the benefits (or they are clueless about how to go about it). Curiously, the local press is negative about the spread out. I saw headlines like "CFL will have to be played in the suburbs", "No CFL matches in Kolkata" and so on.

Deb_Ban

Here's the money situation:

Clearance of previous years' dues to the clubs: Rs 2 crores (except prize money)
This year's League winner: Rs 25 Lakhs
Runners up: Rs 20 lakhs
Prizes upto the 7th position
MOM award for each match

Any idea about the amount of the TV deal?