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StarHub bags UEFA Champions League & UEFA Europa League rights for 3 years
MUMBAI: With the football transfer window in full swing, Singapore’s StarHub has completed a double swoop for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and the UEFA Europa League (UEL) for the next three years from the 2015-2016 season.
Matches will be shown in high definition, on Catch Up, as well as on StarHub TV Anywhere, giving Sports Group subscribers the complete UCL and UEL viewing experience anytime, anywhere.
This marks the return of the UCL and UEL to StarHub TV after seven years.
UCL and UEL matches will be broadcast ‘live’ on the newly launched Eurosport HD (StarHub TV channel 212) with simultaneous matches shown on StarHub’s self-packaged high definition SuperSports channels.
Football fans who are unable to catch the 2.45 am kick-offs can still watch full matches on Catch Up. In addition, the channels are available on StarHub TV Anywhere, giving customers the option of watching matches on their laptops, tablets and smartphones at their own convenience.
“We take pride in the breadth of our sports offering and are delighted to offer football fans the prolific strike partnership of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. Being sports fans at heart ourselves, our priority is to provide a viewing experience befitting of the two tournaments’ world class stature. Hence, we have done our best to give customers every chance of savouring the top drawer action with high definition coverage, Catch Up and multiscreen options,” said StarHub chief marketing officer Howie Lau.
“I am delighted that we have reached an agreement to bring the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League on Eurosport to StarHub customers. In addition to the matches offered through Eurosport and Eurosport 360, customers can also enjoy all the UCL and UEL live matches on StarHub TV Anywhere in true HD. The extension of this content partnership deal underscores Discovery’s commitment to delivering must-have content through its bouquet of 11 channels on StarHub’s platform,” added Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific acting president and managing director Enrique Martinez.
Coverage will kick off with the ‘live’ broadcast of the 2015 UEFA Super Cup on 12 August 2015, 2.45 am on Eurosport HD. The match promises to be a mouthwatering all-Spanish affair with five-time UEFA Champions League holders FC Barcelona taking on the record four-time UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League winners Sevilla FC in the Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena in Tbilisi, Georgia. ‘Live’ UCL coverage will follow from the play-off round on 19 August 2015 while ‘live’ UEL coverage begins with the Group Stage on 18 September 2015.
Widely recognised as Europe’s most prestigious club competition, the UCL will be contested by 32 of the continent’s top teams, which will be drawn into eight groups of four teams. The group winners and runners-up will then move on to the knockout rounds ending with the final in the iconic 79,394 seater Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, Italy.
Previously called the UEFA Cup, the UEL will be contested by 48 teams, which will be drawn into 12 groups of four teams. Eight third-placed teams from the UCL group stage will then join the group winners and runners-up in the knockout rounds, starting with the Round of 32. The 2016 UEFA Europa League Final will be played at the 36,000 capacity St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland.
From 6 August, Eurosport viewers will be able to view the content in high definition with the launch of Eurosport HD. The channel number is unchanged at StarHub TV channel 212. Sports Group subscribers will require an HD set-top box to enjoy the channel. Eurosport HD is also available on StarHub TV Anywhere.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
