Pailan Arrows: I-League home matches across India?

I have been thinking about an idea for weeks, now I wanted to pen it down and maybe it is something for the All India Football Federation to consider which could help to spread awareness about Indian football, its future talent and the I-League.

The Pailan Arrows, the AIFF's Developmental Team, shifted their base last season from the National Capital Region to Kolkata after a sponsor was finally found in the Pailan Group and with the Pailan Group having suitable facilities for training and accommodation the whole set-up is now based in Joka, on the South West fringes of Kolkata.

With the shift to Kolkata the Pailan Arrows now play their home matches at the giant Saltlake Stadium, but mostly infront of empty stands with crowds only coming for their matches against Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. Even Kolkata clubs like Tollygunge Agragami in the old NFL and currently Prayag United in the I-League face this problem due to the Kolkata fans being attached to the big three - East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting.

Even the Pailan Arrows, the future talent of Indian football is a hard sell in a football crazy city like Kolkata. But don't these boys, who we hope will go on to represent the senior Indian national team one day deserve better?

Maybe the AIFF needs to think out of the box on this issue. It is about exposure and experience for the Arrows and maybe they should play their home matches across India in football centres where there is no I-League action or cities which have the necessary stadiums. This way the team could also spread awareness about the I-League.

Maybe some people are reading this idea...