Indiantelevision.com Team

(27 May 2006 8:20 pm)

MUMBAI: The impressive show of National Football League (NFL) 2005-2006 has inspired All India Football Federation (AIFF) to revive the Nehru Trophy Football tournament.

NFL title sponsor Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will provide the financial backing through sponsorship, while AIFF's official telecast partner Zee Sports will air these matches.

"AIFF is making all the efforts to make football fully professional in India. As part of this, we will be reviving the Nehru Cup international tournament with financial backing from ONGC. Zee Sports will continue to be our telecast partner," Information & Broadcasting minister & AIFF president Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told a press conference in Mumbai today. Dasmunsi added that a formal announcement on this would be taken in June.

"Apart from providing financial backing to Nehru Cup, ONGC will make use of its vast international network to rope in the prominent foreign football teams for the tournament," adds ONGC's director (HR) Dr. A.K Balyan

"Nehru Cup Football is an important football property and we are looking forward to the revival. We are looking forward to provide a complete coverage to the tournament," says Zee Sports COO Gary Lovejoy.

When sought details of the financial deal that AIFF has with Zee Sports and ONGC, Dasmunsi said the television and other commercial deals together have brought $1.2 million to the kitty. "AIFF is running on an annual budget of $4.5 million in which $1.2 million has come from the telecast rights and other commercial deals. We have spent 35 per cent of our budget on NFL and 15 per cent on the development programmes," he said.