ISL 6 raises the pitch for brands, viewers: Will it see a turnaround?

Viewership for 2018-19 on TV alone was 168 million, and digital viewership was over 12 million

The sixth season of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) kicked off last week. With flashing lights on a flashy stage, a celebrity song-and-dance routine and a strong pitch by the league’s organisers at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, one could see the strong influence of the Indian Premier League. But that is where any comparison between the leagues skids to a stop — even as the cricketing carnival has grown from strength to strength in terms of brand associations and viewership (on-the ground and on screens), football has struggled to get the league off the starting block. Can this season,