Kamal Ghorui
Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is pleased with Genius Sports’ efforts to transform the Indian Super League (ISL) into a global product, but clubs have proposed a more direct interaction for greater clarity.Genius Sports is the AIFF’s preferred bidder after the London-based company made an offer of Rs 64.4 crore annually with five percent increase every year – totalling approx. Rs 2,130 crore across 20 years – for commercial rights of the top-tier ISL and Federation Cup, the country’s premier cup competition.During its presentation to the clubs on Thursday, Genius Sports outlined a partnership-led approach, combining technology, data, and commercial expertise to support the league’s evolution and align it progressively with global benchmarks like the Premier League, Liga MX, Belgian Pro League, and the Swiss Football League.“We had a fruitful discussion with Genius Sports and the club representatives,” said AIFF deputy secretary general M. Satyanarayan. “Genius Sports have put forward their plans on how to take ISL to the next level and transform the league into a global product. All present got a sneak preview of some of the technological and AI-driven aspects that can enhance the league experience for fans and also diversify monetisation opportunities for all stakeholders. It’s really exciting for the future of Indian football.”Except for Mohun Bagan Super Giant, all club representatives attended the online presentation.FC Goa CEO Ravi Puskur said Genius’ presentation was useful in helping them understand the scale of their experience and the strength of their technology stack, but sought greater clarity on how they would navigate the dynamics of Indian football and its commercial ecosystem“The clubs proposed a more direct interaction with them, which was positively received by Genius, and we now look forward to that exchange before considering the way forward. I feel this requires more substantive discussion and deliberation before a conclusion can responsibly be reached,” Puskur told TOI.According to sources, Genius Sports’ presentation focused on its technology, data and innovations as it highlighted its work in officiating (Premier League), analytics (Nottingham Forest), and fan engagement (LA Rams).The company also stressed on the role of technology in strengthening the league’s infrastructure, which included enhancements to commercial strategy, digital platforms, and match operations.Genius Sports will now be asked to make a presentation for the AIFF executive committee and senior management, before the proposal is placed before the AIFF general body for final approval.
