Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Salahuddin on Tuesday asked the UK-based football management company, Soccer League International, to promote the Bangladesh Premier League instead of trying to organise a multi-million pound new football league. Soccer League International UK initially came up with a proposal of holding a franchise-based football league in Bangladesh with an estimated budget of £50 million.
The company also promised to lure mega sponsors like the Hero Group and the Reliance Group for the proposed Super League.
They gave their presentation to Salahuddin at his residence in Gulshan but the BFF boss seems little impressed.
He suggested them to work with the existing BPL to gather knowledge on the professional football league, its structure, sponsors, marketing and fans, according to an official.
‘As they want to be a part of the development of Bangladesh football, they have been asked to work with existing Bangladesh Premier League,’ said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag on Tuesday.
Shohag said that the UK-based company will also work to manage sponsorships, increase the number of venues, bringing financial solvency of the clubs as well as handle the issues like marketing and television rights.
The BFF general secretary also informed they are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to work together with the Soccer League International to organise the BPL soon.
Mohammad Kabir, the managing director of the company, said that they agreed to work on the development of the Bangladesh Premier League and are hopeful of holding a franchise-based football league in two years.
‘The BPL has been a part of our original proposal as we want to hold the BSL two years later. Now we will get opportunity to work with the BPL and its clubs’, said Kabir.
‘I think we can reach our dream of holding the BSL by promoting the BPL. So, the proposal from the BFF president was not unexpected.’
-With New Age input
