Sports
Soccerex partners Football Asia for Asian forum in 2010
MUMBAI: Soccerex has announce their partnership with Football Asia, a football- dedicated consultancy in Asia, to offer the football business community a two-day event in Asia next year.
Football Asia CEO Jon Collins says, “Asia is in love with European football and European football is in love with Asia. Soccerex is the global leader for the football industry and the Soccerex Asian Forum will act as the catalyst that brings these interest groups together. This event is a logical and long overdue step for the football industry.”
The Asian continent is home to 85 million footballers, a third of the world’s total, and over a billion viewers tune in each week to watch Premiership fixtures. The level of interest in football from the consumer and commercial markets in Asia is unparalleled. Soccerex’s move into Asia represents an important milestone for the company.
Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie says, “Launching the Soccerex Asian Forum signifies the strength of our global presence; with events in South Africa, Brazil, Europe and now Asia we offer a global selection of business platforms to the football industry. I am looking forward to working with Jon and the Football Asia team over the next four years.”
In a market where who you know is key, the Soccerex Asian Forum will look to help football’s stakeholders develop their Asian networks. The date and venue of the inaugural Soccerex Asian Forum will be announced at Football Asia’s launch event in Singapore on 26 October.
Now in its 14th year, Soccerex delivers networking platforms around the world. The Soccerex events calendar includes forums and culminates in the five-day Soccerex convention encompassing the whole ‘Soccerex Experience‘ (Conference, Exhibition, Gala Dinner and Football Festival).
The Soccerex 2009 Convention takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa from 28 November – 2 December.
Sports
After Virat Kohli’s exit, One8 Commune Bengaluru shuts down
Outlet near Chinnaswamy closes amid rent row, compliance issues mount
BENGALURU: The One8 Commune outlet near M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has shut down following a court order, bringing a turbulent chapter for the high-profile dining destination to a close.
The immediate trigger was a legal dispute over unpaid dues. The outlet, operated by Trio Hills Hospitality, had reportedly defaulted on rent payments for nearly six months. Including maintenance charges and revenue share commitments, the outstanding amount is said to have crossed Rs 2 crore. A Bengaluru civil court subsequently directed the closure of the premises until all financial obligations are cleared.
The shutdown comes months after Virat Kohli, whose brand name lent the outlet its identity, had already distanced himself from the Bengaluru franchise. According to reports, concerns around repeated compliance-related issues prompted his team to withdraw the association. The removal of the One8 branding is believed to have impacted footfall, further straining the business.
The outlet had also faced regulatory scrutiny over the years. In 2024, authorities booked the establishment for operating beyond the 1:00 am curfew. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike had issued notices over missing fire safety clearances, while an FIR was filed for violating tobacco regulations by not providing a designated smoking zone under applicable laws.
In response to the closure, the brand maintained that the issue stemmed from building-level compliance responsibilities linked to the property owner rather than operational lapses on its part. It also denied that financial default was the primary reason, reiterating that customer safety remained a priority.
For now, the shutters remain down. While a reopening is theoretically possible if disputes are resolved, the absence of Kohli’s brand association makes a return under the One8 banner increasingly unlikely.
