New Delhi: Several I-League clubs are not happy at the Super Cup qualifying-round matches in Kerala involving them not being shown live, saying that they have been handed “step-motherly treatment” by the broadcasters.
The All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) marketing partners FSDL, the organisers of the Indian Super League, look after the matters relating to broadcast of Super Cup matches.
Sony Sports Network will telecast live the matches from the group stage of the tournament proper beginning Saturday, while Fancode App will also live-stream the games.
But Wednesday’s two qualifying-round matches of the Super Cup between I-League sides Sreenidi Deccan and Neroca as well as between Gokulam Kerala and Mohammedan Sporting were not shown live. Gokulam and Sreenidi emerged winners in their respective matches to make it to the group stage.
“The tournament is being organised by FSDL and the telecast and live streaming matters were solely with FSDL. As usual, we were given step-motherly treatment,” Gokulam owner VC Praveen told PTI.
“The qualifying-round matches could at least have been live-streamed on Fancode App, if not telecast live on Sony. When you were showing matches of Durand Cup and Santosh Trophy, why not Super Cup qualifying-round matches.
“They are not concerned about the I-League clubs,” Praveen rued.
The All India Football Federation, on it part, said it has no role on the issue.
“The telecast issue is being handled by the marketing partners. We have no role to play here, though we would have loved to see the qualifiers shown live. However, matches will be telecast live from group stages (beginning April 8),” an AIFF source said.
The Super Cup, being held at Kozhikode and Manjeri in Kerala, is a tournament involving ISL and I-League clubs.
All the 11 ISL teams and the I-League champion side — RoundGlass Punjab FC — got direct entries into the group stage of the competition while the four other slots will be filled up through the qualifiers.
Seven teams from the I-League (those ranked from second to eighth) play in the qualifiers to get into the group stage of the tournament. The teams ranked ninth and tenth in the I-League play a qualifying playoff for a place in the qualifiers.
PTI

Press Trust of India