Tag: Cricket

Star Network to invest 20,000 Crore in India to boost sports coverage

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Star TV, Star Sports, ESPN, India, Football, RebrandStar Network will rename and re-brand its channels in India from today. As part of re-branding, ESPN will cease to exist in India. ESPN channel will now be Star Sports 4 and ESPN HD will be Star Sports HD2.

On this occasion it was also revealed that Star Sports will invest over 20,000 crore to improve sports coverage in the nation.

“Star has made a commitment of more than Rs 20,000 crore into the sports business. The investment is being used to fuel expansion of sports coverage in the country and to build exciting new leagues, including the Indian Super League in football, the Hockey India League and the Indian Badminton League,” Star Network said in a statement. 

GCDA annuls KCA’s attempt to increase the lease period of Kochi JN stadium

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Kochi_stadiumThe overwhelmingly efficient and financially sound Kerala Cricket Association is wanting to lease major stadiums in Kerala. In a request to Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), KCA had expressed interest to least out Kochi Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for 30 years.

However, their interest to lease out the stadium for another 30 years has been annulled for the time being by the executive committee of GCDA. If reports in Malayalam media are anything to go by, there was a stiff resistance from members in the executive committee of GCDA against this move.

GCDA decided not to take the request forward and reports suggest that GCDA would review KCA’s request once the current lease tenure is over. KCA has currently leased out the stadium till 2015. They  inked a Kerala_Cricket_Association_Logodeal with GCDA in 2010, on an agreement that they will pay 10 lakhs per year for the total control of the stadium.

Reports also suggest that Kerala may host the 2014 Nehru Cup and Kochi would be the only suitable venue for the competition in Kerala. Earlier this year, when Santosh Trophy took place in Kerala, the conflict of interest between KCA and Kerala Football Association had reared its ugly head. It was amicably resolved and Santosh Trophy was held in the stadium.

Cricket Associations of other states in India have their exclusive stadiums. While in Kerala, KCA’s pursuit of a cricket only stadium has met with numerous road blocks. Earlier this year KCA had expressed interest to lease out Kozhikode Corporation stadium which resulted in a lot of opposition from other sports associations and the football crazy crowd in Kozhikode.

We at Football News India believe that no city  in Kerala should lease out stadiums to a particular sporting body as it could create monopolistic practices that would eventually be detrimental to other sports. We are hoping that GCDA would not ink a deal to lease out the stadium to KCA for 30 years.

Update : A report in Malayala Manorama dated 25th September reports that GCDA is planning to open a Facebook page and conduct a poll among the public seeking their opinion on handing over the stadium to KCA for 30 years.