AIFF’s new ISL proposal is similar to what FSDL had offered earlier in some respects, except for broadcast production, operational details and promotion & relegation.
But the reality hasn’t changed. This model will only work if ISL generates at least ₹150–200 cr in central broadcast & sponsorship revenue; anything below that, and it will bust.
To demand that kind of money from broadcasters, a ₹70 cr operational budget (covering broadcast, production, marketing, etc.) looks too low.
In recent ISL seasons, the league spent ~₹70 cr per season on broadcast, production and signal transmission alone. Under this new model, that figure effectively drops to ₹23.8 cr.
On top of that, the model still needs a commercial partner to fund 30% (₹21 cr) of league operations, something AIFF failed to secure in the last tender. Justice Rao and KPMG recommendations also remain unimplemented.
So the question is simple: why would a partner come now?
This model still needs serious fine-tuning before it becomes sellable, though AIFF moving from upfront fees to revenue sharing is at least a step closer to reality.
