Hockey Update: IHF, Nimbus formally announce ample WSH
The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), in a joint venture with Nimbus Sports has formally launched a glamorous annual-based hockey league namely of World Series Hockey (WSH), which will further promote the sport across the world.
The hockey league is initiated on lines of the IPL (the famous cricket event) and Premier Hockey League (PHL), which is now defunct, in a bid to bring glamorous touch in hockey. Corporate sector including multi-national companies will own the teams, bear
all the expenditures, and will bring advancement in the game.
The IHF and Nimbus Sports are going to make the sport as money-maker and far-famed as its cousin game of cricket is. The first and inaugural edition of the world’s ambitious franchise-based hockey league will be held from November 2011 to February 2012.
It would be comprised of ten teams hailing from different cities, which will play some 100 games in the period of ten weeks
Both the partners fixed more than $1 million as prize money while players from within the country and foreigners will earn easily four to five million annually in the head of match fees. Nimbus Sports which is a sub-part of the Nimbus Communication has penned
a contract with the IHF for the next fifteen years to organise the WSH annually in a bid to promote the sport across the globe.
As per the claims of the IHF, more than forty Indian players including national squad members Dhananjay Mahadik, Sardara Singh, Ardian D’Souza and Sandeep Singh have inked their agreements with the World Series Hockey (WSH).
It is pertinent to mention here that the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) is an unrecognised sports body, which failed to get an accreditation from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) back in 2008 over the issues regarding merger of women’s and men’s
bodies. Regardless of its international recognition, it is accredited by the government of India.
Withal, the announcement of the World Series Hockey has escalated the ongoing quandary between the Hockey India and the IHF to run the sports’ affairs in the country and abroad. Hockey India (governing body of the sports approved by FIH) has warned the
national players to stay away from the WSH otherwise stern action would be taken against them.
Newly elected president of the Indian Hockey Federation, RK Shetty talking to the media said that the mutual efforts of the IHF and Nimbus Sports will surely revive the past glory of the game, which is national sport of India. He further said that they will
use additional funds to bring development in the sport, which will really up the level of the national players in the world ranking.
RK Shetty said, “Nimbus Sport is one of Asia’s largest sports management companies. With this association, we are confident that Indian hockey is set for its biggest ever boost. World Series Hockey is a win-win situation for everyone as it will bring
back hockey fans and make them cheer the national sport and local talent.”
The IHF president further stated that the patterns of the event are quite dissimilar to the Premier Hockey League (PHL), which was organised earlier from 2005 to 2008 and grabbed the spectators across the globe. He maintained that they are approaching foreign
players to bring them on board in this regard.
Executive Chairman of Nimbus Communication Limited, (the official broadcaster of cricket in the country) Harish Thawani speaking to the reporters said that no player could be stopped from taking part in the World Hockey Series, adding that the IHF is recognised
body of the government, which possesses numerous hockey stadiums across the country.
Harish said, “We are willing to release players for national camps and international tournaments. The players are free to represent the country. After this, I don't think HI (Hockey India) should object to players becoming part of World Series Hockey.
If it does so, then it amounts to restraint on trade.”
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