MUMBAI: Marking the first of its kind deal for a news channel, ETV has bagged the television broadcast rights for The Great Khali Returns series, which is scheduled for 24 February in Haldwani and 28 February in Dehradun.

As per the terms of the deal ETV will not just broadcast the fights live but will also extend promotional support for the series through its entire network.

The Great Khali Returns Series chairman Ranjit Rawat said, “The Great Khali Return series is an endeavour of our Chief Minister to not just further enhance the sporting fervour amongst the youth of our state but also announce the year of sports in Uttarakhand culminating in the National Games in 2018. This deal with ETV will go a long way in furthering this endeavour.”

The two-day fight spectacle, which has been initiated and coordinated by #CM4Youth, the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s youth outreach programme in association with the Bhartiya Samajik Sewa Sansthan NGO and OmReels Entertainment gains significance as it would feature The Great Khali fighting on Indian soil for the first time ever.

Furthermore, in addition to featuring 14 international wrestlers, the series has also been designed to offer an ideal platform, at par with any international event of this scale, for an equal number of budding Indian wrestlers. 

ETV News Network head Jagdeesh Chandra added, “We are happy to play an integral role in promoting The Great Khali Return Series, as it is a medium to link today’s youth to sports. ETV knows how to unite itself with the region along with working in tandem with the nation. ETV has an outstanding reputation as a link between the government and the society. By airing such events we aim on strengthening our regional content offering and at the same time provide quality services to our viewers.”