As one of the world’s biggest sports leagues, the English Premier League has drawn plenty of people to watch it worldwide. It is one of the most popular sports, but some have not given the EPL the time of day.
They want to attract more people to show interest in football, and India is a prime market. The Prem wants to expand their viewer base in the world’s most populous country, but it could also convince some young people to dive into football and work towards playing in the EPL.
In a major step for the EPL and its Indian fans, the league has announced its new office in Mumbai. This is a significant step for the Prem since it means they are expanding their global footprint into India. The league can convince more people to watch the Prem matches with the office and employees promoting the competition, exactly like how you can entice people to play the Mine Island game.
There is a passionate number of people in India who love football, but there is still an untapped market. Cricket is the most popular sport in the country, but football has captured the world’s attention. There is already a strong community in India, but that could grow further if the English Premier League is committed to getting more people interested in football.
This is a happy moment for the EPL, as Chief Executive Richard Masters has shown his pleasure. He said, ‘We and our clubs have a fantastic and knowledgeable fanbase in India, and we know football continues to grow in popularity. We are proud of our longstanding commitment to India, having worked to deliver community football programmes for 18 years, and more recently, our partnership with the Indian Super League’.
Since India has more people in the country the numbers will only keep growing, which means the TV rights should also balloon to a higher number. That bodes well for the EPL as they are drawing more viewers, so it generates more revenue.
More money means the EPL will also have improved quality. It is already the highest level of domestic football in the world, but it could get even better when the teams are earning more money to spend on their members, facilities, and more.
The competition can draw more Indian fans to watch the live broadcast and interact with the discourse on social media. Some might even get convinced to travel to England and watch the matches in the stadium. As the numbers grow, more people from India can learn about the league, clubs, and players, which could lead to further growth.
A big-time cornerstone for Indian football is the introduction of the Next Gen Cup. It is an international youth football tournament launched in 2019 by Reliance Foundation and the Indian Super League. This provides the platform for India’s best young footballers to compete against Premier League clubs’ Under-19 teams.
That gives the Indian players some exposure they need to possibly earn a pathway to Premier League clubs’ academies. With the ISL and EPL strengthening their relationship, the Next Gen Cup is a strong project to keep going because Indian football has untapped potential, which could be seen in the young players and possibly the fans’ growth.
A rising tide of football popularity will raise all the boats of football fans in India. That could also open the door for more people to watch Premier League football matches in other countries because entering India could mean more progress in other countries in Asia as well. Some can play the Mine Island game, but Indian football fans are enjoying the good progress with the English Premier League’s presence in their country.