Kolkata: The battle between the IMG-R and the Kolkata giants has now literally become the “battle of nerves”. After an informal meeting with the IFA at the Bengal Club today, it was understood that both the camps have started to understand that they both need each other. The Kolkata Giants have started to understand that they should explore all possible avenues to ensure that the team plays in the highest level football tournament in the country. On the flip side, the IMG-R has also started to get the point that the ISL can never reach the heights if there is no East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.
Therefore, both the clubs have now started to kill some time to see who compromises first to advance the issue. The club officials of both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan thus have requested the IFA President Mr.Subrata Dutta to represent them in the issue and take the responsibility.
The clubs have understood that the sponsors who will spend 40-50cr rupees per season will also try to have the control on the club as well. And on that regard the clubs won’t have much protest as well to welcome the same.
The only problem which has been occurring is the clause in that draft where IMG-R has wanted the rights of the club name, logo, jersey and the other intellectual properties. Both the clubs are rigid on their standpoints that the sponsors shouldn’t have the right to change the intellectual properties. In a press release Mohun Bagan President Swapan Sadhan Bose mentioned, “During all levels of discussion we had always said amongst various other things that the Logo, Jersey colours and most importantly the name of our beloved club cannot be changed at any cost.”
The clubs have also mentioned in the meeting with the IFA, that during the last meeting with the IMG-R, it was decided that the club will have an Advisory Committee if the sponsors take over. But the draft which was sent by The IMG-R there is no mention of that clause.
The clubs have also said that they don’t want to give the “lease” of the intellectual rights to the sponsors for too long when the IMG-R has contracts with the other ISL franchises for just seven years. The clubs have an anxiety on a matter if the league doesn’t last for that long, then what will happen to that intellectual rights? So the clubs have the proposal to make the intellectual property contract on the basis of the longevity of the league.
As of now, the picture is quite evident that both the camps are trying to be open on the ground of discussing the terms and conditions.