India, Aug. 14 -- For most of the time, football in India feels like a night without end. Corporate interest veers from sporadic to apathetic - profit, at least the possibility of one, overtrumping passion -infrastructure is inadequate, the season short and interest from broadcasters lukewarm. All of this contributes to good performance being rare.

And yet, football matters. At 300 million, it continues to be the second-most followed sport, one that is growing at 25%, as per a KPMG report. India has more followers of football than hockey and badminton put together, according to that report released last September by the union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

That can help explain why FC Goa earned nearly Rs.4 crore through gate sales ...