Kolkata sports firm plans ISL-style league in Bangladesh

The first edition of the Indian Super League was a major success.

Kolkata, Dec 28 (IANS) A city-based sports event management company has put forth a proposal to the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) for organising a football league emulating the highly successful Indian Super League (ISL).

Celebrity Management Group (CMG), which helped BFF host the Argentina versus Nigeria FIFA Friendly in Dhaka in Sep 2011 besides organising a game between Argentina and Venezuela around the same time in Kolkata, has also offered to purchase all sponsorship and marketing rights of the Bangladesh national team.

According to a BFF official, the CMG has sought to host FIFA friendly matches for the Bangladesh national team for the next one-and-a-half years.

CMG has reportedly suggested it will provide funds and arrange the opposition teams and venues for the games. The company will own the sponsoring, broadcasting and ticketing rights.

Asked about the initiatives, CMG executive director Bhaswar Goswami said it was in negotiations with the BFF and concrete developments could take place next month or early February.

"Yes, such a proposal has been made, but it is too early to say anything, further developments are likely to happen in around last week of January or the beginning of February next year," Goswami told IANS.

It is also believed the league will be played out between eight city-based franchises just as in the case of the ISL.

Media reports in Bangladesh said the company has proposed Argentine legend Diego Maradona as chairman of the league committee.

"I have very good relations with (Diego) Maradona, who visited India twice at my request. I requested him to be involved with our initiative," Goswami was quoted as saying by the leading Bangladesh newspaper the Daily Star.

The paper said CMG has offered taka 3 crore (Rs.2.44 crore) to the BFF to organise the league. The BFF has decided to form a committee to look into the proposals.