ONGC FC played in Delhi this season. They had a grand attendance of probably 50 a game. Here is the highlights from one of their matches:
Calling it the I.League is completely rubbish at times. Goan league or West Bengal league better suits. But most leagues just starting off, and India is kind of just getting going are unfortuantly like this. Personally i'm agaisnt expansion and throwing 'new' clubs in when they're clubs currently in the football system.
Well there will be 2 clubs in what used to be called Assam right? So I think 3 states are represented. Is Goa their own state or are they the same state with Mumbai? Because that would make it 4 states. But you are right all the teams are in 4-5 cities.
Here is the breakdown (as it is right now with 13 teams): - Churchill Brothers (Salcette, Goa) - Dempo (Panjim, Goa) - East Bengal (Kolkata, West Bengal) - Mohammedan (Kolkata, West Bengal) - Mohun Bagan (Kolkata, West Bengal) - Mumbai (Mumbai, Maharashtra) - Pailan Arrows (Kolkata, West Bengal) - Prayag United (Kolkata, West Bengal) - Pune (Pune, Maharashtra) - Rangdajied United (Shillong, Meghalaya) - Salgaocar (Vasco da Gama, Goa) - Shillong Lajong (Shillong, Meghalaya) - Sporting Clube de Goa (Panjim, Goa) 5 clubs play in West Bengal (Kolkata specifically), 4 clubs play in Goa (all play in 1 stadium though), 2 teams play in Maharashtra (Mumbai however does not have a stadium so they play their home games in Pune), there are 2 teams in Meghalaya (both in Shillong). So overall there are 4 states being represented and technically only 4 cities being represented as of now.
Of course, the league needs to be spread around, but even so, ONGC did play in New Dehli. The team might not be called New Delhi but where were the fans? Where are the actually football loving fans? I remember a few year ago in Thailand. PEA were a Bangkok based club, but they took their games to Ayyutahaya, and the lcoals got behind them, PEA then became PEA Ayyutahaya, they could see the potiental, the fans were there, but in New Delhi, no fans go to ONGC, so why would you as a businessman think New Delhi is the place to take a team? Might aswell go to a city with many clubs and get a small share but a guarenteed small share?
I think this will explain it: ONGC is really a Mumbai team. They were founded early 2000s and have always played in Mumbai. After they were promoted in 2012 they found out that the stadium in Mumbai is under renovation and that they needed a new home. The Balewadi in Pune was already temporarily being used with 3 clubs (2 from Mumbai) using it so they decided to play in Delhi as that is where the company, ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation), are based. Since moving there they have done nothing to attract fans. They have been a cancer to Indian football since there inception and they continued this season. No marketing of any kind. No effort to bring fans and tickets are cheap as hell. And Delhi has been known for its crowds. India's national team always gets a crowd and just earlier in 2012 during the Final of the Durand Cup between Air India and Dodsal (now Mumbai Tigers) there was a huge crowd so Delhi has the fans but you need to market the damn game. Sadly that is invisible with the current I-League clubs except for a few like Pune FC and Shillong Lajong.
United Sikkim were relegated. Air India were also relegated but they, along with ONGC, were also expelled from the league for failing to properly follow the AFC Licensing Criteria. Thus we have now lost 3 teams and gained 2 from promotion and now we are stuck at 13. The AIFF is trying to fix this with 3 corporate teams and to expand the league to 16 teams. Again though, it will probably fail.
Next year it should look like this: 1 Mohun Bagan 2 East Bengal 3 Goa United 4 Mumbai Tigers 5 Pune FC 6 Bengaluru FC 7 Shillong Lajong 8 Kerala Eagles 9 Chennai Rangers 10 Delhi United 11 United Sikkim 12 Aizawl FC 13 Green Valley 14 Kohima Komets 15 Samaleswari 16 Imphal FC
Just asking: Why is there no media coverage for the friendlies vs Nepal and the Philippines in Siliguri? Are there problems with the broadcast rights or something?