Sporting organizations, like any other organization, are the integral parts of the society and therefore they cannot ignore their responsibilities towards the society. Considering the importance of community developmental initiatives, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), in its Club Licensing Criteria for I- League, has included a criteria on community developmental activities which directs the football clubs in India to undertake diversified activities for the development of the community. These activities include:
a) developing play ground at the University Complex
b) helping the needy children financially
c) soccer coaching programme in schools and various localities
d) distributing playing kits to the under privileged children
e) organizing blood donation camps
f) donating money to the hospitals
These activities can be segregated into two categories, philanthropic activities and business centric activities. Organizing blood donation camps, supporting needy students, helping hospitals by donating money may be considered as the Philanthropic activities of the Club which may not benefit their business directly. On the other hand, organizing football tournaments, developing play ground, organizing soccer coaching camps may help their business directly and thus these activities can be considered as the Business- Centric activities of these clubs. By organizing a tournament, the club may recruit football talents who can be developed by the coaching staff of the club. These talents, at a later stage, may either be promoted to the Senior Team or can be sold to the other clubs. This will help the club to ensure a steady supply of players as well as flow of revenue.
The community developmental initiatives, adopted by the football clubs in India, may help Indian football in long run. However, it can be suggested that these activities can be better organized with proper application of managerial tools and techniques to yield better result in future.
