Live India, Love Football

I’m currently in the car on my way home from speaking at a National Sports Science Conference at the Symbiosis School of Sports Sciences in Pune. The 4 hour Pune to Mumbai drive is one of my favorites, especially during the monsoons, as the scenery reminds me of a Swiss landscape however much more dynamic.   I’ve spoken at many conferences all over the world, however, at the current moment, I feel lighter than I ever have after a speaking engagement. The interesting thing is that nothing monumental happened during my session on ‘Fan Engagement,’ just a series of narratives and dialogue comparing the US and India when it comes to developing and engaging supporters.   Yes, it’s true that I always enjoy being on the Symbiosis campus and having the opportunity to speak in front of a group of young, aspiring sports professionals. And, it’s also true that I sincerely respect my fellow panel members which included CEO – Bengaluru FC, Mandar Tamanhe and CEO Group...

A few months ago, a close friend of mine, Hemant Sharma, mentioned the idea of the Global Institute of Sports Business buying a team in the upcoming adidas Creators Premier League (ACPL). To be honest, at the time I didn’t give it too much thought as I’ve not come across many Sports Management education institutes that have purchased and managed football clubs in city-based leagues. Then, the more we discussed this idea internally, we realized that it was brilliant – the perfect way to give some our aspiring sports club CEOs a first-hand experience of running a team. We were clear that we wanted to purchase a team in the Women’s league vs Men’s.   Mumbai happens to be the home of some incredible female footballers and we wanted to use this team to give them a platform to build their profile.   We were also clear that although winning the league was a major priority, we also wanted to focus on educating our players around sports management topics as well co...

--> It’s 30 th May, 2018 and, to the external world, the Global Institute of Sports Business (GISB) is still just a concept. While we do have a clear vision of establishing India’s first internationally certified and industry designed sports management education course, we have a solid business plan, we have an international education partner, we have a number of well-wishers in the industry ready to support as Faculty and Affiliates, and even have a name for the Institute which most of us agree on; we do not have three critical elements: a campus, a website and, most importantly, students. Needless to say, at this time, there are a number of sleepless nights and moments wondering how everything would ultimately come together. Now, fast forward one year, it’s 30 th May, 2019 and GISB Chancellor, Gaurav Modwel, and I are on stage alongside Mid-Day’s CEO, Sandeep Khosla, and Politician & Philanthropist, Priya Dutt, being recognized for establishing India’s best...