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ZEE Sports readies India football team for 2010

With the FIFA World Cup attracting record eyeballs globally, ZEE Sports is getting behind the Indian football team for the next FIFA World Cup in 2010.

The unique initiative was kicked off earlier this week in Chandigarh to breathe life into Indian football. The new programming initiative will be branded ‘Goal 2010’ and its collaboration between the Indian broadcaster and All India Football Federation (AIFF).

‘Goal 2010’ couldn’t have come at a better time with India’s interest in football at an all time high thanks to the present World Cup. Over the next three weeks the carnival will travel to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune Lucknow, Kolkatta and Jaipur. The aim of the whole exercise is to help Indian football team qualify for the finals of the 2010 World Cup. Tall order indeed!

“We realise the power of the great game in unifying people. The AIFF with its partner ZEE Sports is committed to taking Indian Football to the highest possible stage in world football. We appeal to the people of the country to come forward and support us in making this dream a reality,” AIFF head honcho Priyaranjan Das Munshi said while kicking-off the initiative.

The countrywide road shows will attempt to create hype about different and unknown facets of Indian football and also try to form a fan base in parts of the country where the game is yet to catch the fancy of the public at large. For this legends of Indian football will be roped to give the marketing blitz recognisable faces.

In an attempt to grab eyeball AIFF has signed a 10-year telecast deal with ZEE Sports under which around 100 matches from National Football League, Federation Cup and Santosh Trophy will be shown live on television ever year, besides beaming all international matches featuring India live into drawing rooms.

Terming the future of Indian football bright Gary Lovejoy, Chief Operating Officer, ZEE Sports said that the AIFF is very serious in improving the global standing of Indian football. “AIFF has the full backing of FIFA in this effort and we seriously want to increase the reach of Indian football. We have undertaken a multi media marketing and promotional campaign across the country. As part of the campaign several below the line activities including road shows, pub screening and football kiosks were initiated in several cities to popularise soccer in India.” said Lovejoy.