Shake that net

SPORTS BIZ - IV: Football fanhood in India is mostly about the global scene, but that's a good start.

Aatish Khanna is 16, and can rattle of names like Arjen Robben, Ashley Cole and Cristiano Ronaldo "" with their resumes, by heart. But ask him about Ashok Ganguly and Debojyoti Roy, and he scratches his head.

That's globalisation for you. While the players of Manchester United and Chelsea have become household names in India, our local lads from East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are still unknown entities.

Aatish typifies the young Indian football fan: he follows it avidly around the globe, but alas not in India. Gary Lovejoy, chief operating officer, Zee Sports, says that poor infrastructure is one of the main reasons why football hasn't got much prominence here.

"The grounds are dilapidated and proper facilities are not available for developing the game." Yet, he says, the ratings for domestic football have been pretty consistent and on the rise. Zee has a 10-year deal with AIFF to broadcast the domestic football matches.

Unlike other sports, where sponsors come in but struggle to maintain their interest, there are quite a few big names associated with football. Mahindra & Mahindra, UB group, Tata, JCT, to name some. Nike has a seven year contract with AIFF to provide merchandise to Indian football clubs.

ONGC sponsors the national football league (NFL), which also has Coca Cola, Airtel, General Motors and Indian Airlines as sponsors. The total prize money in NFL is about Rs 1 crore, which is double the amount of last year.

On current estimates, domestic football has some Rs 250 crore in it. This is not bad at all, but it's not enough to excite youngsters about a football career. While no one expects Beckhamesque pay checks ( £120,000 a week), players do need to earn enough.

Things are looking up all the same. It is heartening that the art world is taking an interest (a trend evident during the World Cup).

When Osian's, the art and auction house, got the rights for sponsoring Durand Cup, it gave a much needed boost to the oldest football contest in the country (its prize money: Rs 20 lakh). Says Neville Tuli, chairman, Osian's, "It is up to people like us to revive the interest in the game and put money in."

The fact that people talk about football, and in more than just a kiddish manner, is an encouraging sign. "It is about taking the next step which will make football really huge in the country," adds Lovejoy. "You can't expect things to change for better overnight," says Tuli, "Give it five years and you will see the results."

Ultimately, football needs a convergence of interests. Given the sparks of recent excitement, it could well happen.