MUMBAI: Mrs Nita Ambani, chairperson, Football Sports Development Limited and member of the International Olympic Committee, has expressed delight on delivering an uninterrupted and successful season of Hero Indian Super League 2020-21 for football fans in India.
“Season 7 has been a tribute to the real power of sport, the true glory of football,” said Mrs. Nita Ambani in a video message ahead of the season finale on Saturday.
“In spite of the global pandemic, despite the odds against us, the fear and uncertainty, this season of ISL has brought immense joy, cheer and celebrations back into our lives.
“I am proud of the fact that we were the first, the longest, and the most successful sports event to be held in India in these times,” added Mrs Ambani, expressing her pleasure on the completion of a competitive season without the need to reschedule even a single fixture.
She added: “An approximate of 1,600 people, including footballers, support staff, club and league management and broadcast crew were housed in the strictest bio-bubble over a period of 6 months with close to 70,000 RT-PCR tests conducted by the League.”
ISL season 7, which kicked off on November 20, 2020, has today achieved a unique distinction of running a full four months of uninterrupted footballing action featuring 11 clubs with an increased number of games from 95 to 115.
The entire season was played out behind closed doors at three stadiums in Goa under the strictest bio-bubble safety protocols.
Speaking on the league’s fan engagement, Mrs Ambani said: “We missed our fans dearly in the stadium, but they were with us digitally and in spirit all along the season.
“Thank you to each and every one of you in Goa and for supporting and showing your love for the beautiful game. And thank you for reaffirming our faith that sport truly has the ability to unite, to delight, and to inspire the world.”
On young talents, Mrs. Ambani said: “I am glad to see so many young boys coming through the ranks in ISL. The likes of Liston Colaco, Akash Mishra, Rahul KP, Asish Rai, Bipin Singh, Jeakson Singh and Apuia have shown the character and determination to make it big. These boys will take young India forward on the global stage.”
ISL spent Rs170m on COVID-related expenses
ISL said it witnessed encouraging fan engagement across its digital and social media platforms, with total engagement of over 175 million and 360 million video views. Over 4, 000 minutes of video content was consumed.
The ISL spent an estimated Rs 170 million on COVID testing and other related expenses to ensure safety of players and staff across 11 teams along with a 150-member production crew, LiveMint reports. A total of 18 bio-bubbles were created across 14 hotels.
In terms of testing, approximately 70,000 covid tests were done throughout the season. Total number of people tested by RT-PCR in Goa stood at 1,635, with average number of times each person tested being 50 and average frequency of testing every 72 hours. The league also procured around 26,000 N95 masks.
The league also invested Rs 200 million in infrastructure which included rentals and refurbishment of pitches (three stadiums and eight practice grounds). This is in addition to refurbishment/installation of floodlights and usage of generators and deployment of central security and housekeeping agencies.
The last edition of the league, which ended in March 2020, recorded a 51% growth in viewership, according to TV ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council India. The jump in viewership has been among the urban affluent sports savvy audience of M15+AB Urban with a cumulative reach of 168 million and 261 million impressions. It was broadcast on 11 channels across the Star Sports and Star India Network in seven languages.
