NEW DELHI: LaLiga successfully held the first international immersion conference in India this week attended by presidents, general managers and marketing directors from 18 of the 20 teams currently competing in the tournament. The event, which was held in the city, focused on providing those involved with a better understanding of the Indian market as well as exploring growth opportunities in the country.
The visit involved a busy agenda of meetings and talks over a two-day period. Several training sessions were held for club representatives, allowing them to learn more about the growth of football in India, the sports and business environment of the country and its digital ecosystem in order to provide them with a broad understanding of the kind of opportunities that India can offer Spanish clubs.
The Spanish Ambassador in India, José Ramón Barañano, together with LaLiga President Javier Tebas, inaugurated the conference in which several directors of LaLiga clubs, India On Track and other companies took part. The attendees included Yes Bank Senior VP Abhishek Issar (specialised in the sports, entertainment and media industry) and Pepsico brand director Tarun Bhagat. Professional football in India was represented by AIFF President Praful Patel and Reliance Sports and Indian Super League CEO Sundar Raman.
There was a networking session involving both LaLiga and ISL clubs. LaLiga has for some time now been growing and extending its involvement and expansion in India through various ground-breaking initiatives such as broadcasting the tournament on Facebook, creating LaLiga Football Schools and bringing Girona FC to play a pre-season game in the country.
India is a key market for LaLiga, not only due to its growing economic potential but also because of favourable demographic trends, a growing love for football and a five-year-old professional football league that is well positioned to attract more and more fans. LaLiga looks to support local leagues wherever possible, with the aim of growing appreciation for football and, as a result, a stronger connection to LaLiga among the local populace.
