UTV founder Ronnie Screwvala buys Mumbai based football club PIFA FC

Ronnie Screwvala has bough a Mumbai based football club – PIFA FC

The founder and CEO of UTV group, Ronnie Screwvala, has bought a football club and training academy based in Mumbai called PIFA FC.

It is learned that Screwvala is also planning to bid for a team in the new Indian Super League which is expected to begin this year.

Screwvala’s company Unilazer Ventures formed a sports division that is looking to grow and build sports apart from cricket. When asked about his plans to bid for an ISL team, he said: “The ISL opportunity is interesting and we are examining it

“This league has the potential, along with the broadcast deal, to put football in the mainstream.”

Screwvala has already obtained the documents required to make a bid from IMG-Reliance.

The exact details of the cost was not given but it is estimated that the I-League second division club was bought for a price in the region of Rs. 2-3 crores. Screwvala also revealed that he wants to invest between Rs. 50-75 crore in the next couple of years.

To bid for a team in the ISL, it is a pre-requisite to show how it can help build Indian football in the next few years and that is one of the reasons behind buying the PIFA FC academy which caters to approximately 500 trainees. Plans are afoot to increase that number four fold to 2000 by the end of 2014.

Screwvala said: “Talent management is important for us. We will look for raw talent and send them for international training. We have to catch them young,” as footballers start their careers as early as the age of 14.

They have also signed on Subrata Pal, India’s national team goalkeeper , and will be managing his marketing rights.

“Football could become a national obsession in the next five years,” said Screwvala.