1996–97 National Football League (India)
The 1996–97 National Football League, also known as the Philips National League for sponsorship reasons, was the inaugural season of the National Football League. The tournament began on 17 December 1996 and concluded on 16 March 1997. Before the commencement, the All India Football Federation maintained that it would be a semi-professional tournament for the first two years.
Football Sports Development
The Indian Super League was founded in October 2013 by IMG–Reliance, along with STAR Sports. The goal of the league was to make football a top sport in India, a country that only found success in cricket and hockey. The league was modelled along the lines of the popular Twenty20 cricket league, the Indian Premier League, and Major League Soccer of the United States. The league started in October 2014 with eight teams and ended in December 2014 with Atlético de Kolkata coming out as inaugural champions.