Bengal to get IPL-style football league

At a press conference at the Bengal Club in Kolkata yesterday it was announced that the Indian Football Association (West Bengal) with its partner Celebrity Management Group and TV rights holders Mahua TV would launch an IPL-style football league in West Bengal under the name of Premier League Soccer which would be played over a seven week period from January to March each year. The aim behind the league would be to develop the sport and infrastructure in the state.

Like cricket's successful IPL the PLS would have its own franchises and what is a big step for Bengal football all would be private entities, so there will be no East Bengal, Mohun Bagan or Mohammedan Sporting.

The PLS would initially start with six franchises, who would be based in Kolkata, Howrah, Barasat, Asansol, Midnapore and Siliguri. The six franchises will be chosen through competitive bidding for 10 years with successful bidders paying a yearly franchise fee. Only limited companies with a minimum net worth of Rs 100 Million (10 crores) could bid for a franchisee license.

The press statement said, "The USP will be each team will have one icon player and three quality overseas layers. The icon players will be an overseas player with great repute, preferably someone who has represented his country in International matches. Each team can sign a maximum of 25 players."

The squads would all have a size of 25 players - three players from anywhere in the world, one Asian player, minimum five catchment players, minimum six Under-21 players, and maximum 10 players from anywhere in India. Also the coach should be a foreign coach with a FIFA/UEFA 'A' Licence.

The organisers have spoken to former World Cuppers like Edgar Davids from the Netherlands and Junichi Inamoto from Japan about joining the PLS and being amongst the leagues icon players.

The PLS will be working as an autonomous and professional body under the license of the IFA (W.B.) and will be headed by an own Board of Governors.

It isn't known at this point of time what the AIFF and IMG-Reliance think about this plan as it could hurt its I-League (or India's Pro League under new name) though no current Indian I-League player would be allowed to participate in the PLS.