What Has Gone Wrong For Indian Super League Since Its Inception?

When the Indian Super League was launched in 2014, optimism was very high. The three-month-long tournament happened to be a perfect mix of sports and glamour and managed to attract a large number of supporters as football seemed to have found a new stage in India, where cricket has been regarded as a religion for the past many years.

At first, the competition didn't disrupt Indian Football and it was running in parallel with the I-League, which was the top-tier football league at that time. But from 2019, it received AFC recognition and was formulated into the Indian Football calendar as the top league.

ISL's Grand Launch Didn't Pan Out In Exact Way

Despite the financial backing and growing popularity, ISL has failed to inject sustainability into Indian football. Following the footsteps of MLS, ISL introduced the marquee player rule, and world-famous footballers graced the Indian soil with their presence. The likes of Diego Forlan, Elano, Dimitar Berbatov, Robert Pires and Alessandro Del Piero appeared for various clubs, adding a glamour quotient, but it was too far-fetched.

As a result, footfall dropped, TV viewership declined, and the quality also deteriorated. The introduction of the Indian Super League was also supposed to push the quality of Indian football, but that hasn't been the case. Barring a few with the likes of Lallinzuala Chhangte, Udanta Singh, Apuia and Anwar Ali, lack of quality has hurt the Blue Tigers very badly.

A shambolic performance saw the Indian team winning just two out of the nine games they contested, and they also crashed out of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers. ISL recorded a whopping 429 million viewership during its inaugural edition, but in 2024, the numbers saw a steep decline to 130 million only.

India registered just two wins since November 2023, which further explains the dreaded quality of Indian football.

The FSDL-AIFF Fiasco Hits Indian Football Badly

Football Sports Development Limited put pen to paper on a Master Rights Agreement with the All India Football Federation for the next 10 years, and they reportedly kept paying AIFF a whopping INR 50 crore for the next 15 years. But lack of revenue has hit the clubs hard, and some of them even reportedly thought of shutting shops. Pune City FC became a defunct club, while a number of I-League clubs also ended their operations due to a lack of money.

Revenue has been very hard to come by, as compared to IPL and ISL clubs, which have not been financially viable. An ISL club, on average, gets to earn to the tune of INR 40 crore, which includes sponsorship revenue, ticket sales and contribution from the central pool. Added to this, a rise in the transfer fee has been a massive concern. Clubs like Mohun Bagan Super Giant have spent an enormous amount of money to lure players from other clubs, and it has shaken the entire ecosystem of Indian football.

When Will The Impasse End?

Three months have passed, but the AIFF hasn't managed to nail down a starting date for the ISL. FSDL had put the league on hold after the MRA wasn't renewed. The Supreme Court had to intervene, and despite a tender being floated, the AIFF found no takers for the commercial partner.

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They recently announced that the dates for the league will be announced this week, but there has been a lack of clarity among the clubs over the sustainability and feasibility of this shortened league as it stands.