Thakur
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MUMBAI: Former Ten Sports CEO Atul Pande’s recently launched sports management firm SportzLive has teamed up with Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) to launch Indian Cue Masters League (ICML), a franchise-based league combining all three formats of cue sports—billiards, snooker, and pool. SportzLive has acquired 16-year rights from BSFI to organise this league, which will have eight franchisees featuring five players, including one international icon, one Indian icon, one female icon, and two domestic players.
While the dates have not been finalised, ICML is most likely to be played between June and August. There will be four matches in a day and each will be of one-hour duration.
Each team will play the other team twice on home and away basis. According to SportzLive chairman Pande, the launch of ICML will boost the growth of cue sports in the country.
He also described cue sport as one of the most popular indoor sports played in India, with more than two million amateurs playing one or more forms of the sport regularly.
The popularity of the sport, even as a pastime, is high in Tier 1 cities of India and the game is cherished in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as well. “Cue sports enjoy a great popularity in India and are waiting to be taken to the next level.
India has about 3-4 million active billiards, snooker, and pool players across thousands of clubs,” he stated.
He also mentioned that it is largely a club sport with a skew towards SEC A audience. “We are planning to have city-based teams with franchise owners, much like the IPL.
This would attract a lot of investment into the game at the sponsor level, at the team ownership level, and at the talent management level. We need a lot of investment to attract new players who are dependent on the game,” Pande added. The league would be available across mediums for cue sports fans. “We will be putting this league on television. We will be announcing our television partner shortly. It will also be available on mobile and internet platforms as well,” he revealed. He also claimed that even before the Indian broadcaster has been finalised, a European broadcaster has shown interest in televising the league. “We have an interested broadcaster in Europe even before we have finalised one in India.” For assigning players to the franchises, the league will follow the draft model. “We will have draft system for picking players. We will work with BSFI to get all the players.
We will have the best in the business to play here.” The organisers have shortlisted 20 cities to invite bids from prospective buyers. The franchises will be awarded based on cities that receive the highest bids.
He also assured that the financial model of the league would allow franchises to break-even faster than in other leagues.
Read more at:
http://www.televisionpost.com/television/former-ten-sports-ceo-partners-bsfi-to-launch-ipl-styled-cue-sports-league/
While the dates have not been finalised, ICML is most likely to be played between June and August. There will be four matches in a day and each will be of one-hour duration.
Each team will play the other team twice on home and away basis. According to SportzLive chairman Pande, the launch of ICML will boost the growth of cue sports in the country.
He also described cue sport as one of the most popular indoor sports played in India, with more than two million amateurs playing one or more forms of the sport regularly.
The popularity of the sport, even as a pastime, is high in Tier 1 cities of India and the game is cherished in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as well. “Cue sports enjoy a great popularity in India and are waiting to be taken to the next level.
India has about 3-4 million active billiards, snooker, and pool players across thousands of clubs,” he stated.
He also mentioned that it is largely a club sport with a skew towards SEC A audience. “We are planning to have city-based teams with franchise owners, much like the IPL.
This would attract a lot of investment into the game at the sponsor level, at the team ownership level, and at the talent management level. We need a lot of investment to attract new players who are dependent on the game,” Pande added. The league would be available across mediums for cue sports fans. “We will be putting this league on television. We will be announcing our television partner shortly. It will also be available on mobile and internet platforms as well,” he revealed. He also claimed that even before the Indian broadcaster has been finalised, a European broadcaster has shown interest in televising the league. “We have an interested broadcaster in Europe even before we have finalised one in India.” For assigning players to the franchises, the league will follow the draft model. “We will have draft system for picking players. We will work with BSFI to get all the players.
We will have the best in the business to play here.” The organisers have shortlisted 20 cities to invite bids from prospective buyers. The franchises will be awarded based on cities that receive the highest bids.
He also assured that the financial model of the league would allow franchises to break-even faster than in other leagues.
Read more at:
http://www.televisionpost.com/television/former-ten-sports-ceo-partners-bsfi-to-launch-ipl-styled-cue-sports-league/
