AIFF Executive Committee Sends Commercial Bids to KPMG for Detailed Evaluation
In a significant development for Indian football, the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) Executive Committee has decided to refer the three long-term bids for commercial rights of club competitions to the audit firm KPMG. This move aims to thoroughly evaluate the feasibility and key aspects of the proposals, ensuring a transparent and well-informed decision-making process.
Background and Bid Details
The decision comes just a day after Indian Super League (ISL) clubs urged the governing body against making a binding decision on the proposed 15+5-year rights cycle. The AIFF received three distinct bids for the commercial rights:
- FanCode and Genius Sports: Submitted a joint bid for the ISL and Federation Cup. Genius Sports offered Rs 64.39 crore per year, totaling approximately Rs 2129 crore over 20 years, while FanCode bid Rs 36 crore per year, amounting to around Rs 1190 crore for the same period.
- Capri Sports: Emerged as the sole bidder for women's football, proposing Rs 150 crore over 20 years for the Indian Women's League (IWL) and IWL 2.
In an official statement, the AIFF confirmed, "Three bids received for the relevant commercial rights – by FanCode and Genius Sports (for ISL and Federation Cup), and Capri Sports (for IWL and IWL2) – were placed before the Executive Committee."
Clubs' Concerns and Transparency Measures
The bid opening process on March 27 faced criticism from clubs, who cited insufficient time to review the Request for Quotations (RFQ) document. The crucial document was shared with clubs only 12 hours before the bids were opened, leading to calls for greater transparency.
Additionally, clubs expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed 60-30-10 revenue distribution model, which allocates shares between clubs, the commercial partner, and the federation. They requested separate presentations from the bidders to better understand their approaches and evaluate the offers comprehensively.
During the Executive Committee meeting, the AIFF addressed these concerns by clarifying that the process would align with the clubs' requests. The federation stated, "To ensure greater clarity and transparency in the process, clubs associated with the competitions will also hold meetings with the respective bidders to address any queries they may have."
Next Steps in the Evaluation Process
Following detailed deliberations, the Executive Committee decided that KPMG will prepare comprehensive comparison tables to assess the feasibility and key aspects of the bids. The AIFF explained, "After detailed deliberations, it was decided that KPMG will prepare comprehensive comparison tables evaluating the feasibility and key aspects of the bids."
Once the comparison analysis is complete, the bidders will be asked to submit term sheets within a defined timeline. The matter will then be presented to the AIFF General Body for consideration, in accordance with the provisions of the AIFF Constitution.
This step-by-step approach aims to foster a more inclusive and transparent decision-making environment, addressing the clubs' apprehensions while ensuring the long-term commercial viability of Indian football competitions.
