East Bengal, Mohun Bagan need professional overhaul, says FIFA RDO Shaji Prabhakaran

JAIPUR: At a time when a lot of stress is being laid on the marketing of the I-League as it enters the new season, once again in the shadow of its more glamorous counterpart the Indian Super League (ISL), FIFA's regional development officer for South and Central Asia, Shaji Prabhakaran, has called for a 'professional overhaul' of traditional giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.
In order to grab more eyeballs, the AIFF and I-League clubs have decided to earmark a Rs 2 crore fund for promotional purposes.
While each club will contribute Rs 10 lakh, the federation will pump in Rs 1.1 crore. The fund will be used to promote the game regionally. The prize money for the top finishers has been increased, with the champions and runners-up now set to get Rs 1 crore and Rs 70 lakh, respectively.
"East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are the giants of India with a fanbase no team can match. They only lack a corporate setup, and people who know how to engage fans in the best way possible. A complete professional overhaul of these two clubs can change things within months," Shaji told TOI on the eve of the I-League's start.
"They don't have to compete with the ISL. An East Bengal-Mohun Bagan game attracts nearly 1 lakh crowd. But little is done to engage them. Why don't we have such big crowds in other games that they play? There are so many platforms nowadays. You just need people in the know to execute plans."
I-League's average attendance last season was around 10,000 compared to the ISL which saw the number swell up to 27,000. With lesser number of teams competing this time -- the likes of Pune FC, Bharat FC and Royal Wahingdoh pulling the plug on their first team operations -- the challenge for India's premier club competition is bigger than ever.
"The I-League doesn't need to compete with the ISL," Shaji opined. "They can have a viewership of their own. This is a good time to start with the Indian team winning the SAFF Championship. Also, the winners represent India in Asia which is a huge bonus," he added.
AIFF general secretary Kushal Das recently said that having one league is the only option. On that, Shaji said, "That would be best for the calendar. The unemployed players will have a more secured career too."