GUWAHATI, July 10 - The Assam State Premier League (ASPL) is going to be a farce instead of becoming a professional set-up, alleged Samvit Sarma, general secretary of the Golaghat Rhino FC.
Addressing a press conference here today, Sarma revealed that the Celebrity Management Group (CMG), the organiser of the championship in association with the Assam Football Association (AFA), is asking Rs 1 lakh each from all the 12 participating teams as license fee. But in return they are not providing financial support to the teams.
Moreover, CMG did not have any agreement deal duly signed by the teams prior to the championship. Later they issued the agreement letters to the teams and made them signed by the AFA secretary Ankur Dutta. Teams like Golaghat Rhino FC and Udalguri are yet to sign the agreement. The CMG officials and CEO ASPL warned the Golaghat team officials that if they don�t pay the license fee in due time, 70 per cent of the prize-money will be deducted. Sarma further said they have already spent around Rs 3.5 lakh for hosting five home matches but in return they did not even get a penny yet. For the away matches also they have to spend about Rs 25,000 per match.
CMG is getting 30 per cent of the gate collection from every match and in that term they have already got around Rs 9 lakh because in places like Diphu, Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon, Chabua there have been tremendous crowd response. Sarma also alleged that there are lot of technical errors while conducting the matches in various venues.
Finally, the Golaghat Rhino secretary opined that the championship is meant to spin money by CMG and the AFA but not for the benefit of the teams and Assam football.
