Georgetown India Initiative

Football has always been something that I am extremely passionate about; for me, it is more than just a sport, and I see tremendous potential for it as a mechanism to spur foreign investment and economic development at a grassroots level. Being "the global game" it is sometimes surprising why there is no mention of the sport in India—I see the love of the game, but no team. This got me thinking, and resulted in writing a book this past fall. The working title for the book is Billion Dollar Foot, and below is a short synopsis.

Football is by far the most popular sport in the world. It is the world's most watched competition, holds the most expensive TV rights deal, has the highest paid athletes, and some of the richest teams. If that wasn't enough to convince you, football's governing body, FIFA, has more nation members than the UN. The sport is watched, played, and admired in every corner of the world. Put simply, football dominates the athletic market, and it is everywhere. But there is still one massive, untapped market left for the beautiful game to conquer: India. Out of a population of 1.3 billion, not a single Indian player has really "made it" in the world of football yet. Billion Dollar Foot will tell you why India is going to be the next "big thing" in the world of football. A sport-loving culture, along with the second-largest population in the world, and an up-and-coming love for the beautiful game combine to make India an exciting opportunity. Endless opportunities await in India, and with the right people leading the charge, there is no reason why India cannot be amongst the big hitters of the game in the years to come.

This book provides an insight into the current state of football in India, what I see as potential growth factors, and the possible benefits to the Indian society as a whole with the development of football in the country.

Shiv Jhangiani (MSB '19) is a sophomore in the McDonough School of Business, majoring in international business.