MUMBAI: The Hockey India League is going strength to strength, Close on the heels of Sahara Group acquiring Lucknow franchise, the Hockey India League has roped in another major business house. Jaypee Group (Jaiprakash Associates) has taken the Punjab franchise of the fledgling league that will debut in January 2013.

The high-profile Hockey India League, which has secured a window on the International Hockey Federation (FIH) calendar, will see six teams play on a home-and-away basis. The 33-match series, which will run from 5 January to 13 February, will be broadcast on ESPN Star Sports.

This is Jaypee?s second big investment in sports apart from the Jaypee Sports City which hosted the Indian Grand Prix. The company has appointed Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador for its flagship cement brand Jaypee Cement.

Hockey India Secretary-General and HIL Chairman Dr. Narinder Batra said, "When we have such groups as Sahara India and JAL as the first two HIL franchises, we not only feel encouraged that Indian hockey will get a fillip but also believe players from around the world will love competing in the tournament."

JAL executive chairman Manoj Gaur said he is thrilled that JAL is a HIL franchise. "By participating in HIL, the Jaypee Group has taken a definite step forward on way to help Indian hockey regain glory. The Punjab franchise that we have taken will get the Group?s full backing and we will be able to raise a world class team.

"We will arrange best of coaching and other facilities for our players so that they could be trained to not only lift the HIL Trophy but also contribute in India winning major international tournaments."

He further added, "Our participation in HIL is in a way also redemption of our Founder Chairman Shri Jaiprakash Gaur?s dream of grooming a battalion of young hockey players who will, in turn, help India dominate international hockey for a long time to come."

The six franchises will be selected from a pool of 12 cities that have infrastructure and facilities to host a match.

Earlier, Sahara Group had announced that it is taking franchise rights of Lucknow team. Apart from being the sponsor of Indian hockey team, Sahara has also been a global partner of the International Hockey Federation.

MUMBAI: The Times Television Network (TTN) has appointed Rohit Kishore Chopra to the post of head legal at Times Television Network and Prime Connect. He will be based out of Mumbai and be responsible for all legal and regulatory affairs of TTN and Prime Connect as well as support the team on Box TV.

The existing legal teams at TTN and Prime Connect will report into Chopra who in turn will report into Avinash Kaul.

ET Now, Times Now and Zoom chief executive officer Avinash Kaul said, "We are delighted to have Rohit on board. Given his significant experience in the broadcast space, Rohit will play a pivotal role in directing the legal and regulatory aspects of TTN?s business."

Chopra comes to TTN from Viacom18 Media where he was head corporate legal affairs. He has worked at Balaji Telefilms Limited, Reliance Big Broadcasting and ESPN Star Sports in the past.

Chopra said, "I am really excited and honored to be a part of such a diversified media conglomerate. I look forward to working with this dynamic team and adding value to the system."

MUMBAI: Asia?s leading sports content provider ESPN Star Sports has extended its agreement to broadcast the FIM Superbike World Championship across Asia until 2018.

The broadcast agreement includes pay-TV rights for live and delayed races as well as race highlights, in addition to rights for free-to-air broadcast in most markets.

The deal also includes rights for online and mobile coverage via ESPN Player and Mobile ESPN. The broadcast rights cover ESPN Star Sports? footprint including India, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

In the future, the World Superbike calendar will feature two new races - India from 2013 and possibly Indonesia from 2014 onwards - that will be sure to bolster interest in Asia.

ESS VP Programming Nick Wilkinson said, "We are delighted to continue our partnership with World Superbike to continue showcasing the best of motorsport to fans in Asia. ESPN Star Sports is Asia?s home for motorsports and with our stellar line-up of leading sports events, this new partnership underscores our commitment to serve our viewers with top quality sport programming."

MUMBAI: The Hockey India League, promoted by Hockey India (HI) with the backing of International Hockey Federation (FIH), is slowly gaining momentum as the organisers look to kick-off the first edition in January next year.

HI, the governing body of Hockey in India, has roped in ESPN Star Sports as the broadcast partner for HIL in a five-year deal. Besides, the broadcast rights for the league, ESS has also bagged the rights for international hockey matches played in India for a period of five years.

Earlier, business conglomerate Sahara Indian Pariwar had announced that it has taken the franchise rights for the Lucknow team. Sahara is also the shirt sponsor of the Indian men?s and women?s hockey team forking out Rs 400 million for a five-year deal that runs till 2017.

ESS has, thus, renewed its association with Hockey, a sport which it tried to reinvigorate as far back as 2005 with Premier League Hockey, which died a premature death since it could not get the right business model.

While refusing to divulge any details, HI secretary general Narinder Batra said the association along with its marketing partner Twenty First Century Media approached all major broadcasters.

It is believed that Ten Sports was also in the fray for the rights.

"We approached all key players in sports broadcasting. However, ESPN Star Sports gave us the best deal. Therefore, we decided to work with them," Batra told Indiantelevision.com.

Neo Sports, the sports broadcasting arm of Nimbus Communications, was not in fray as its parent company Nimbus is the co-promoter of World Series Hockey, a franchise-based league that has often been termed as a rebel league.

The world hockey governing body has approved the league and has given a window so that international players will be available. The league will comprise six franchise hockey teams and will feature 33 hockey matches to be played in prime time in state-of-the-art stadia across the country.

All teams will play each other on a home and away basis (30 league matches) followed by two semifinals and the final. ESS also has the global broadcast rights to telecast at least five international hockey test matches every year under Hockey India to be played in India for the next five years. The number of matches that India will play against international opposition could go up depending on the finalisation of the series schedule.

"The proposed league (HIL) will be the biggest initiative that hockey has ever seen in India. We have been working out the details for months now and I am glad to announce that things are quickly falling into place. I am confident that our partners ESPN Star Sports will help us deliver a flawless world class product," added Batra.

ESS MD Peter Hutton is believed to be instrumental in getting the deal through since he has been key follower of the game and sees huge potential in the sport.

Hutton was part of the FIH?s marketing committee, which advised the world body on ways to promote Hockey and generate revenues. Incidentally, Hutton is also believed to have been a key force in doing the deal with FIH when he was in Taj Television, which runs Ten Sports.

Ten Sports, which began its partnership with FIH in 2005, holds the broadcast rights for all FIH events in Indian subcontinent till 2014.

"Hockey is close to our heart and we will drive all our efforts to make this league a success. We are also delighted to have all international hockey test matches under Hockey India to be played in India on our networks for a five year period. I look forward to some memorable occasions and a new era for Indian hockey," said Hutton.

The developments at HIL will have implications for Indian Hockey Federation?s World Series Hockey, which held its first edition earlier this year. The eight team tournament got off to a decent start despite mounting pressure from FIH and HI, who did not want the league to take off.

IHF president RK Shetty, meanwhile, brushed aside suggestions that HIL will kill WSH. "We have nothing to worry about their (Hockey India) league, if they are doing this, it?s good for the game. It will open more opportunities for players. As far as we are concerned, we are looking forward to the second edition of World Series Hockey," Shetty asserted.

Can two leagues co-exist?

Wizcraft, the owner of WSH?s Delhi franchise, is optimistic about the league format. Says director Sabbas Joseph, "Not enough is done for hockey. If more promotions are done, it will grow the sport?s visibility and more sponsorship revenue will come in. If we see an opportunity, then we would like to take part in this league as well. More people and companies getting active in hockey will increase the excitement around the sport. I think that hockey is big enough to support two leagues."

He adds that a certain amount of rivalry between the two leagues would be healthy as long as the sport grows. The key is that the conflict between hockey India and IHF should be resolved.

However, Maxus business head Jigar Rambhia is quite certain that only one league will eventually survive. "The sport is not that big in India as this stage. To further divide it by having two leagues is not good for anybody. Next year will give us an idea as to which is the stronger of the two leagues. Two leagues also gives rise to confusion as to which league is official."

Nambiar also thinks that the success of hockey leagues in India will depend upon how India fares at the Olympic Games. "If the team does well, then advertiser interest will pick up.People do follow hockey, although this is not always reflected in the numbers," he says.