'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What are the marketing challenges in India compared to the US?
To tell you the truth, we were in a huge marketing hole. With a small set of employees working round the clock, the goal was to package it up the first year and marketing was not at the forefront of our plan. Now we have started focusing on huge sponsorship deals to get the whole India-Pakistan football event –“DOSTI” - off the ground.
Our website is finally up and running where we are able to sell EFLI merchandise courtesy of our relationship with American Needle who produce all our hats and t-shirts.
Our prior experience with merchandising was not good as the orders weren’t up to the mark in terms of quality. We didn’t really pay attention to it then and have learnt a valuable lesson.
However, going forward, we feel that this is a huge money maker and our financial stability has solidified with the many endorsements from industry leaders. Our focus gradually shifted to marketing because of demand from supporters; there was a huge ask to be able to show off their support and we just started catering to them.
Are most of these sponsors coming from the US? Do you have global reach in terms of sponsors/endorsements?
We have a lot of deals coming in from China and India. The United States has been aware of our presence in India for the last nine months, and rather than waiting around for them, we would like to provide an opportunity for others to become the next ‘Gatorade’.
We have also kept it under wraps so as to fit into the long-term goal and not commit to an endorsement which wouldn’t represent us in the right way.
It is really difficult to break into the Indian product space and being associated with a sporting venture just presents the opportunity to do so on a silver platter. I am sure Coca Cola and Pepsi started off in the same situation and now are among the biggest brand endorsements in the world.
EFLI has often spoken about the grassroots development. With universities all around the country accepting this, do you think this is gaining popularity? How different is this setup compared to NCAA football in the US? Are you planning a similar model in India?
Quite frankly, there are not many significant differences other than lifestyle and maybe the Indian calendar, (laughs) the numerous holidays and of course the IPL. The economy in India is developing far more rapidly than anywhere else and the open-minded nature of the society is a massive shot in the arm to help capture people’s imagination.
Obviously there are naysayers – the hardcore cricket fans who do not want any erosion of interest; India is after all a cricketing nation. On a larger scale, people are very welcoming towards the sport and they would like to see it succeed.
One exception maybe, is how kids from the under privileged societies in the US view sport as an equal opportunity to make a living as compared to education. In India however, there is a greater push to recognize education as the primary source of livelihood. I don’t think that sport is going to occupy the same position in terms of a career option at least until the next 10 years.
How is the interest in India amongst
a. Private investors?
One thing that I would love to see though is more of a local investor involvement in the sport. Our intention when we started out was that it was going to be all Indian owners, coaches, referees and players involved in the sport. For India to really fall in love with the sport and embrace it, all the team owners need to be locals and not be just an American franchise playing in India. Interestingly, there has not been a movement in India to take part to that degree. I love all the current investors who are in it for the same reasons as me.
If you think about it, it is hard to invest in a new market, but it would be great to see Indian ownership grow into the EFLI. I don’t know if there is a certain apprehension to entering the market of ‘American Football’ because of the nature and origins of the sport or if it is the nascent status of the sport in the Indian market. It would be nice to see that trend developing, although it in no way harms our overall goals.
b. Sporting associations
EFLI has been branded as the official Football league of India. As a result, we have not really approached all the smaller organizations at the grassroots level for tie-ups. For college football, we are in talks with the AIU, which represents the parent level of the college sports organization. On the professional front, we work with the SAI in different states to work on the logistics for the stadiums and facilities. As we work with these organizations, we have also offered a lot of improvements– installed floodlights, camera equipment etc. at stadiums at our expense to help them grow as well.
What potential do you see of these EFLI players someday being involved in the American/European professional leagues?
Roshan Lobo – 2013 EFLI MVP - was invited to compete with players from some of the top football programs in the country, like the Florida Gators. He was flown halfway across the world to Alabama to compete in a special game called the Prograss International Scout Bowl. The game is meant for college players in the US to get a chance to showcase their skills for pro scouts from the professional leagues.
But we have left that decision to the individual team owners if they want to help their players learn about the game by visiting the US or through special coaching camps.
What makes you the happiest about the whole EFLI experience?
I love watching the players on the field picking up this new sport. It was a surreal experience seeing the fruition of all our efforts over the last 9-12 months. The whole feeling of seeing the sport make a difference in people’s lives and helping them become better people is tear-jerking.
How has travelling and working all over the world with different people from various cultures influenced you in terms of business as well as a person in life?
When I initially went to Nairobi on a mission, we were trying to start a business in the slums. It was an enlightening experience as we saw people walk more than 2 hours to get to our location every day in their best clothes. During every break, they would sing, dance and laugh and enjoy life with each other. That put things into perspective for me – a California native, and made me want to bring the happiness back home. This was the case in India as well – it just taught me how to live my life in the moment and on my own terms.
I just feel really grateful that I learnt how I could live life the right way and I promise to dedicate the rest of my life for finding a platform to be able to do that for me and all the people around me.
