The much-anticipated IPL-style football league will be christened as the Indian Super League even as the organ... Read More

MUMBAI: The much-anticipated IPL-style football league to be held early next year will be christened as the Indian Super League even as the organisers IMG-Reliance on Monday disclosed the roping in of four more big international stars.

Former Trinidad and Tobago and Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke , former Sweden captain and Arsenal star Fredrik Ljungberg , ex-Argentina striker Hernan Crespo and former France and Arsenal winger Robert Pires have confirmed their availability.

"Crespo, Yorke, Ljunberg and Pires have confirmed their availability," an IMG-Reliance source told PTI.

With their signings, the names of five marquee players out of eight have been known and the remaining three are expected to be named in a few days.

IMG-Reliance has also signed up former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and 1998 World Cup winner France international Marcel Desailly as two of the eight managers for the January 18 to March 30 tournament.

The announcement came a day after IMG-Reliance entered into a multi-million dollar deal with Star India to become equity partners in a joint venture for the next 10 years to run the league.

Star India, in which media baron Rupert Murdoch has a majority stake, reportedly has a one-third stake in the JV and has acquired broadcast and sponsorship rights for the league.

Reports said Star India, which also holds telecast rights to BCCI cricket matches in India, is paying Rs 2,000 crore.

"Reliance Industries Ltd., Star India and International Management Group are set to launch the 'Indian Super League', an unrivalled football championship that will foster local talent and feature international stars with the aim of making the game one of the country's flagship sport and India -- a name to reckon with in the global arena," a release from the IMG-Reliance said.

"The League promises to revolutionise the sport from the very get-go, leveraging the strengths of all three partners who are focused on growing the game to national prominence, offer Indian football greater global exposure and eventually help India qualify for the 2026 World Cup," said the release.

The organisers also said that they could be looking for a window for the second edition of the league next year itself.

"The 'Indian Super League' will feature eight city specific teams to start with and will tap the burgeoning interest among the country's young population that's increasingly seen taking interest in the sport globally. The League will kick-off in January 2014 and will run through March 2014, with plans for a second window in the same year."

Commenting on the development, IMG-Reliance chairperson Nita Ambani said, "Football, with its largely untapped potential in the country, has the opportunity to grow to an unrivalled commercial success quite unlike any other sport. We hope the growing football footprint will pave the way for the nation's sporting renaissance."

Uday Shankar, CEO of Star India, said, "India is hungry for its second sport. Combined with our expertise in sports production, our attempt is to bring an unparallel football experience to our viewers.

"For far too long, the Indian sports fan has quietly waited for this revolution on the cusp of which we stand today. Our objective is nothing short of creating a movement around football in India. We want to put India on the global map."

"The 'Indian Super League' will feature international football stars combined with good football facilities, rivalry between India's biggest cities and the roar of a billion passionate fans," said Mike Dolan, chairman and CEO IMG Worldwide.

"It envisions creating new football powerhouses in this part of the world, which will rise to global prominence as the country and the sport further develop."

The league will feature eight teams with marquee players from across the world along with India's national stars and club and domestic talents.

The bidding for the eight city-based franchises will be held between October 25 to November 5. The invitation to tender document has already been floated by IMG-Reliance with the base price to buy a franchise is reported to be around Rs 25 crore.

Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Bangalore, Kochi, Goa and Pune have been identified as the nine venues that will be up for bidding.

Indian Premier League franchise owners such as Shah Rukh Khan (Kolkata Knight Riders), Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi Maran (Hyderabad Sunrisers), GMR Group (Delhi Daredevils) and Emerging Media (Rajasthan Royals) are said to have shown interest in buying teams.

Bollywood stars such as Ranbir Kapoor, John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan too have shown interest, according to reports.

Among corporates, Air Asia's Tony Fernandes, Yes Bank chairman Rana Kapoor, the Venugopal Dhoot-owned Videocon Group, Airtel's Sunil Mittal, Anand Mahindra, Hero Group are doing the rounds to be among those who are already in talks with IMG-Reliance.

The league will feature 22 players in each team, with 10 foreign players, including a marquee player. Each franchise will also include eight domestic players and four local players from the catchment area in the under-23 category.

IMG-Reliance, the commercial and marketing partner of the All India Football Federation, has already signed 39 domestic players and 20 players of AIFF developmental side Pailan Arrows will also be part of the league.

The opening match of the tournament will be played in Mumbai.

