NEW DELHI: Football is a sport that arouses unbridled passion – in players and spectators alike. A favourite team’s win or a loss can send fans into a paroxysm of delight or deep into despair. Watching a game of football – be it from the stands or in front of a screen – has its own unique kind of thrill, and billions of people all over the world revel in it.
Though its first love may be cricket, India is always ready for a tryst with the beautiful game. And now that the IPL has woken the nation up from its Covid2019-induced torpor, Indians are eager to dive straight into the latest edition of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL). Set to kick-off on 20 November, the Hero ISL 7 is the league’s biggest and boldest instalment yet – with 11 teams, 115 group stage matches, and one of the oldest rivalries in Asian football.
Over the course of its last six seasons, ISL has charted an upward trajectory in terms of growth and popularity. As per BARC reports, Hero ISL 6 had recorded a 51 per cent growth in viewership, with 28 billion minutes consumed, 168 million live match reach, 213 million video views and over 75 million interactions achieved. The brand is a hit across mediums, with the last season being aired on more than 20 TV channels, and clocking 19 million views on Disney+Hotstar.
The tournament has extended its reach across the country and captured football fans' imagination, inspired them and brought them together. It has brought razzmatazz to football, something the sport had sadly lacked in this country. In fact, such is the league’s impact that since its inception, India has jumped 70 plus places in the FIFA rankings.
So it comes as no surprise that interest is sky-high as Hero ISL returns for its seventh season, the first professional sporting league to play on desh ki mitti since the Coronavirus struck. There have been over 100,000 conversations on social media around the upcoming season in the past month, which is further testimony to the fact that young men – and women – have sorely missed live football action in the past few months.
This edition of the ISL is pulling out all the stops to ensure that viewers have a ball. While there will be no audience in the seats cheering for their teams and heroes, we hear the league is working hard to ensure the engagement between fans and players continues to grow. Along with efforts to create more in-stadia experiences virtually; with the new normal setting in, digital activations are likely to be big. Digital engagement with fans through Insta Live and other platforms will make this season a truly unique and unforgettable affair.
Historical data indicates that more and more fans have been glued to Hero ISL with every new season. According to the league, hardcore enthusiasts racked up 19.3 billion minutes of viewership on their own. Moreover, devotees who follow the league religiously to track the fortunes of their favourite team have banded to form fan clubs. From the Manjappada Club dedicated to Kerala Blasters, to the West Block Blues at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium for the Bengaluru FC, ISL has sparked fan culture in India like never before. KBFC members proudly proclaim the fact that they are among the top 50 clubs globally in terms of fan engagement.
27-year-old Rohan Chandrasekhar has been living in Bengaluru for the past four years and has tried to make it to every single home match of the Bengaluru FC, his punishing corporate job hours notwithstanding. If attending a live game was a no-go, he would meet up with fellow West Block Blues members at sports bars. But now both of these prospects have gone out the window. He said: “Yeah, it’s a bummer that we don’t get to attend matches in stadiums this time around. But I’m looking forward to what the league has planned to make us fans feel the vibe of a live match. The fan club has also been very proactive on social media lately, sharing behind-the-scenes moments, clips from training sessions and interviews with players. It’s nice, it makes us feel involved. We’re thinking of ways to have that ‘all together’ experience, like virtual watch parties. I’m sure we’ll figure something out in time for the opener.”
This year, the league struck gold when it successfully signed on SC East Bengal, thereby setting the stage for the boro match, the most fiercely contested derby with arch-rival ATK Mohun Bagan. East Bengal will face Mohun Bagan in the biggest spectacle of Indian football on 27 November. Their historic rivalry has added more enthusiasm among followers of the ISL and their matches will certainly be one of the main attractions of the season. Judging by reactions on social media, the anticipation among viewers at home is palpable.
The reigning champion Mohun Bagan already has a strong rivalry with Kerala Blasters. And now with the addition of the Red and Golds in the league, the stakes will be much higher, as will the intensity of the upcoming clashes.
Tapan Mukherjee, a retired Indian Railways officer, has been a life-long supporter of Mohun Bagan. A resident of Kolkata, he owns season’s passes to all Mohun Bagan matches and makes sure to attend each and every one of them, come rain or shine – all while wearing the iconic red and green team jersey, to boot. He had followed the team as it rose through the ISL ranks and lifted the trophy thrice in the past. Here’s what he had to say:
“Next year, when the situation normalises – and I strongly believe that it will – I’m going to buy tickets to every single boro match in the ISL fixtures, it won’t matter to me if they’re held in Goa or Timbuktu. We don’t have a choice this year but next time it will be different. I’ve never missed attending a Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal derby in stadium in my 70 years and I don’t plan on missing out in future.”
Hero ISL not only has the loyalty of fans, but is making a name for itself all over the globe. In a landmark deal, the City Football Group, which owns Premier League champions Manchester City, acquired a 65 per cent stake in Mumbai City FC. German club Borussia Dortmund, the twelfth richest football team in the world, has teamed up with Hyderabad FC in its first partnership with an Indian football side. Adding yet another feather to its cap, the ISL became the first league from South Asia to be inducted into the prestigious World Leagues Forum, which functions closely with FIFA on the development of professional football. This association of professional football leagues also includes the likes of the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga, among others.
Clearly, the Hero ISL has established itself as a game changer when it comes to Indian football. With this season, the league has set its sights on an even bigger goal, and even before the whistle blows for kick-off, it is shooting for success.
