Can't say how (or if) MLS grease the palm of FIFA to have this, but here AIFF enforce this (cross ownership) in the name of FIFA rules. Don't know how rules can vary under the same FIFA. Though I have never seen the actual rules, these seem to be fair ones. Because of this rule, MB had to juggle their sponsors as they were the same group of sponsors of EB. It is a different thing that the same group came back through a different group company, but the accounting is separate and it was the best we could get under the circumstances. If this is not enforced, there remains a chance of one team helping the other co-owned team (more chances when Malya was in the governing body of AIFF -- conflict of interest there). You are the defending champion, you are the challenger, and you again are the referee. And you corner all the monetary benefits, without giving back anything to the system.
There is actually an article about this for the LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo, since they were both owned by AEG at one point. The article also brings in an example of this happening in Mexico with a company owning 3 teams, and 2 of them meeting in a final (one being Club America).
I am not sure there is a FIFA rule regarding this. There are rules on a country by country basis and I know UEFA has a rule but that only applies to UEFA tournaments like Champions League and not the leagues themselves. Not sure if the AFC have a rule on this but I doubt it would impact the Indian league itself.
It is a concern though, I agree but at this point, I don't think any ISL team is owned by the same person per say so the only conflict of interest I can see being cooked up is by the media.
Where is the conflict of interest in ISL if same owners are not having multiple teams as well as none of Reliance and its subsidiaries owning ISL teams(atleast on paper) ?...teams being owned by nita ambanis brother in laws and sister in laws cant be the basis for conflict of interest...On paper none of the owners' companies are even part of Reliance and no ISL teams have mutual owners...all we have is gossips and speculations on conflict of interest and few people having this intense desire to see ISL fail.
@ArsenalFan700 ; just search fifa club criteria on google(you will find the exact pdfs). FIFA has plans to expand its club criteria rule across the confederations and associations which was first implemented experimentally in asia through AFC.
The number of I-League teams would have to increase. It is never good to see a player not getting a team and sitting at home. From next year onwards, the AIFF is trying to get two more teams," he informed.
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Sounds legit.
I am not sure there is a FIFA rule regarding this. There are rules on a country by country basis and I know UEFA has a rule but that only applies to UEFA tournaments like Champions League and not the leagues themselves. Not sure if the AFC have a rule on this but I doubt it would impact the Indian league itself.
It is a concern though, I agree but at this point, I don't think any ISL team is owned by the same person per say so the only conflict of interest I can see being cooked up is by the media.
http://www.fifa.com/development/news/y=2015/m=8/news=fifa-club-licensing-to-go-global-by-end-of-2016-2671935.html
Either way, looking at the AFC Criteria, I don't think the ownership will be a problem here in ISL and the celebrity ownership is also fine.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/7131238_Merging-I-League-with-ISL-is-the-way-forward--Renedy.html#pq=OeOCjx