Indian football authorities today set up a marketing committee to promote I-League, the country's premier but struggling football competition.
This was decided here today at a joint meeting of the office-bearers of All India Football Federation (AIFF), its marketing and commercial partner IMG-Reliance and representatives of the clubs.
"During the meeting it was decided to form a marketing committee which will look into the promotional plan for I-League and would have members from AIFF, clubs, IMG-Reliance and Ten Sports - the official broadcaster. The committee will meet next Friday," said a joint statement issued by AIFF, IMG-R and I-League clubs.
To draw up the much-delayed I-League schedule for the coming season, another committee was set also up which is to meet on August 29, the statement said.
It described today's meeting, held to discuss marketing and promotional plans for I-League, as "fruitful".
The statement, however, made no mention about whether the club representatives, AIFF and IMG-R had deliberated on the contentious issue of the federation's decision to hold a franchise-based football league with IMG-R on the lines of the highly popular Indian Premier League in cricket.
The clubs have opposed the idea of IPL-like league, which is to run from January to March, and refused to take on loan players from the proposed competition or provide on loan footballers to take part in it.
