There is yet another reality of sport. Leagues either need to have global appeal or must possess an exciting revenue plan to induce foreign investment. The Premiership in England has been able to do that but France and Holland haven’t. English businesses will not invest in Dutch or French sport unless there is a compelling reason. So too with corporate India. And I think the message is clear. Leagues have to sustain themselves with local businesses till they become globally attractive as English football is in Asia. In India we have seen the other end of the stick as well where we had to be happy with small investments because the world either hadn’t noticed us or wasn’t allowed to. Cricket is different only because of a very unusual confluence of events.

The other news for these leagues is that, sadly, Indian players now know what price tags to sport.