Panaji: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has invited all top tier football clubs to the Capital on Wednesday to ink an agreement that will see clubs run the Indian Super League (ISL) for the next four years.AIFF has agreed to hand over the commercial rights of the top football league to 14 clubs, through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), with each club contributing Rs 1.1 crore in administrative fees. Should all teams take part, the federation will receive Rs 15.4 crore, which can be used to cover the costs associated with regulatory functions that federation is required to discharge in its capacity as the governing body, including refereeing, legal, integrity and anti-doping support.For the next three years, participating clubs will pay AIFF Rs 1.15 crore, Rs 1.20 crore and Rs 1.25 crore each.Since sending the proposal to AIFF on June 15 and receiving “in-principle and on a subject-to-contract basis approval,” there have been three sticking points. The first includes audit rights over the ISL SPV, 10% share of the profits and a clause that gives clubs the right to terminate the contract after two seasons.These points were raised by AIFF in a letter on July 2. But while clubs have responded, there has been no communication or clarity since then.“We had explained our stand on all three points raised by AIFF and sought to incorporate it in the Definitive Agreements,” a senior club official told TOI. “The clubs remain committed to working with AIFF to conclude everything as quickly and constructively as possible.”According to another official, clubs have agreed to make ISL SPV books available to AIFF in the form of audited financial statements for each season, prepared by an independent statutory auditor. Clubs have also agreed that AIFF will receive a share of 10% of the net profit – not gross as proposed by federation — of the ISL SPV for each season.“The four-year initial term should remain as agreed, with the clubs retaining their unilateral right to exit at the end of second season. This term was proposed and agreed following discussions with the Union ministry of sports and youth affairs,” said the official.According to AIFF’s letter to clubs on July 2, it wants “the right to require a renegotiation of the terms of the arrangement, including the clubs’ financial contribution, based on the circumstances and status of the League prevailing at that time.”
