IMG-Reliance, commercial and marketing partner of the All India Football Federation, "has finally decided to float tenders for the Indian Super League," according to IANS. The ISL "Invitation To Bid" tender started Monday. Bids will be invited through the "Invitation To Bid" or ITB documents "in respect of initial nine cities, namely Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune." Of these nine cities, winning bidders for the top eight cities "will be granted the right to own and operate a new football club and participate in the ISL" (IANS, 3/2). INDIAN TELEVISION reported Football Sports Development "plans to hold" the ISL tournament from Sept.-Nov. The league "will be played in strict accordance with international standards and regulations." The league will have world-class int'l players "play with the best from India." Each team "will consist of a minimum of 22 players consisting of 1 marquee player, 7 international players and 14 Indian players." And each team "will have a set of home and away matches." An Indian company "can collaborate with a foreign company to bid for a team" (INDIAN TELEVISION, 3/3).
