Ten Sports bag I-League rights, TenAction+ to show matches

The All India Football Federation and their marketing partners IMG-Reliance have signed a deal for the 2011/12 season of the I-League with Ten Sports for coverage on their Ten Action+ channel. This new deal ensures national coverage after the AIFF/IMG-Reliance had signed a deal for regional coverage in West Bengal and Assam.

As per the contract Ten Action+ will be broadcasting 75 of the 182 matches from the upcoming I-League live with the federation, their marketing partners and tv rights holders looking to show matches over weekends and at suitable times for the viewers.

A release from IMG-Reliance said, "We are happy to confirm Ten Sports as the national broadcaster for the 2011-12 season of I-League as part of our ongoing efforts to develop the following of the sport in India. We are committed to pursuing various initiatives as part of our strategic plan to enhance the level of competition as also harness the domestic football talent in the country. Ten Sports shares our vision for the sport in India and we are delighted to partner with them in bringing football into the homes of fans across the nation."

Ten Action+, formerly Zee Sports, is India's only football centric channel in the stable of Ten Sports which is owner by the Zee Group. This marks an interesting return of the I-League rights to the Zee Group, who had bought the combined marketing and television rights from the AIFF in 2005, but with coverage and marketing not up to the necessary standard the contract had been cancelled in 2010 with IMG-Reliance taking over from them.

Ten Sports CEO Atul Pande said, "We are delighted to be associated with IMG Reliance, to telecast the I-League, India’s premier’s football tournament. We are committed to bringing the best sports action to our viewers, and this new agreement with the IMG Reliance reaffirms our commitment to grow the sports business and consolidate our position as the leading sports broadcaster. Zee and Ten have been supporters of Indian football for many years and we continue committed to our vision of enhancing and adding value to the sport."

AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das added, "Ten Action+ is a niche football channel and I am sure the visibility and on air promotional activities of the channel will go a long way in enhancing the profile of the I-League. Our partners IMG Reliance deserve all credit for forging this significant partnership."

Earlier a regional broadcast partner in Brand Value Communications Limited, the owners of channels News Time Bangla and News Time Assam, had been announced. Here the write-up about it: I-League: Regional Broadcast partner announced .