Indus League eyeing deal with Manchester United

Future Group owned Indus League Clothing may bring

the coveted English football club Manchester United’s fashion line to India. They are currently in talks to explore possibilities of launching the products through retail vehicles of exclusive brand outlets and shop-in-shop outlets in India. If the deal gets through, Indus League would make an entry into the growing sportswear market of India. Based on Technopak estimates, Indian sports retail is pegged at Rs 2,525 crores. It has tremendous growth prospects and sports apparel category occupies a healthy 45 per cent share of the total market. The market is expected to grow to Rs 12,000 crores by 2020.

Also called the Red Devils according to Forbes magazine, Manchester United is the most valuable football team in the world with an estimated worth of $1.86 billion. Perhaps what’s pushing Indus League towards the deal is the growing popularity of international football in India. More than 34 million people watched the English Premier League matches at least for a minute in the first 20 weeks of 2010-11, up from 25 million in 2009-10, according to Tam Sports. Meanwhile, Manchester United, which won a record 19th Premier League title last season, launched cafA© bars in India last year through a franchisee deal with Mirah Hospitality. There are five such cafes in Mumbai, Delhi and Goa with two more in the pipeline. All this surely does make sense for Indus Clothing Company to get into the deal especially in the sportswear category. Bangalore-based Indus League Clothing has John Miller, Indigo Nation, Urbana and Daniel Hechter in the formal wear and Scullers, Urban Yoga and Jealous 21 for women under its umbrella.