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Tag: Junior World Cup

  • Endeavor Streaming scores five year digital deal with global hockey body FIH

    Endeavor Streaming scores five year digital deal with global hockey body FIH

    MUMBAI: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has netted a five-year strategic partnership with Endeavor Streaming to revamp its global streaming service, Watch.Hockey, in a bid to drive up digital engagement and fan experience for the stick-and-ball sport worldwide.

    The deal will create a one-stop digital destination for hockey enthusiasts to access live action from all FIH competitions and other events from the global hockey community throughout the year.

    Set to launch ahead of a packed calendar of events including the FIH Hockey Pro League and various Nations Cup tournaments, the beefed-up platform will stream more than 600 events live to fans globally. The service will cover all major competitions including the FIH Hockey World Cup, Pro League, Nations Cups, Junior World Cup, Hockey5s World Cup and Indoor Hockey World Cup.

    Fans hungry for hockey content will also be able to feast on highlights and historical matches from the FIH archive on Watch.Hockey, available across web, smart TVs, iOS and Android mobile devices.

    Under the partnership, Endeavor Streaming will support and develop the FIH’s direct-to-consumer strategy, providing business advisory, audience development, technical deployment, content operations and customer service. The platform will be powered by Endeavor Streaming’s Vesper Platform, a complete end-to-end streaming solution designed to help sports bodies build profitable direct-to-consumer experiences.

    FIH president Tayyab Ikram said: “Developing and promoting the game is at the very top of the FIH mission. In this regard, the new version of our streaming platform, Watch.Hockey, shall play an even bigger role than ever before in enhancing the visibility of hockey worldwide.”

    Endeavor Streaming  president Fred Santarpia added: “This partnership combines our world-class streaming technology and digital strategy capabilities to deliver sustained commercial growth for international hockey.”
    The collaboration taps into Endeavor Streaming’s experience in delivering innovative direct-to-consumer streaming offerings for leading sports organisations including UEFA, the National Women’s Soccer League, Ligue 1 McDonald’s, World Rugby and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.

    For hockey fans worldwide, this partnership promises to be anything but a short corner, with ambitious plans to bring the sport to screens big and small for years to come.

  • The Hero Hockey Junior World Cup to showcase the hottest young talent our sport has to offer: Leandro Negre

    The Hero Hockey Junior World Cup to showcase the hottest young talent our sport has to offer: Leandro Negre

    MUMBAI: The president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Leandro Negre feels the Hero Hockey Junior World Cup is the perfect platform for the most talented young players in the world to make a name for themselves and also leave a big impression on those who are watching in the stands or following the action on television or on the live stream.

    He says, “Of course, if India were to win the tournament the impact would be huge, but with so many great hockey nations competing it is really difficult to predict who will lift the trophy.”

    The fact that the event is being hosted in India is an added bonus for Leandro as he is extremely fond of India, not just in terms of a Hockey destination but also as a country. “I am really looking forward to visiting the country again. I love everything about coming to India, I am always made to feel extremely welcome here. Hockey events in India are always very special, and the atmosphere when the home team are in action is something that has to be seen to be believed. It is a real privilege to experience it.”

    Talking about Indian Hockey, he feels India holds a very special place in world hockey and there is abundant talent in the country to become a world class side

    Speaking on the topic of India’s promising young brigade making the transition from junior to senior hockey he said, “India has always been strong at the junior level. However, it is not always easy to make the transition from junior to senior hockey. This is not something which is unique to India but applies to every hockey playing nation in the world. That said, the India men’s team is very talented and looks to have a fine crop of young talent coming through the ranks. I think it’s really important that India gets behind the team during the Hero Junior World Cup as fan support can really make a big difference. The future looks bright for Indian hockey.”

    Leandro believes that currently hockey is going through a very exciting phase globally. The development of complementary formats such as Hockey 5s – a faster, higher scoring, action packed format played between teams of only five players – are particularly attractive to youth and non-traditional hockey audiences. As a part of it’s new strategy, the FIH is keen to entertain and inspire a global movement of hockey fans and players, by attracting more people to play, support and love the game of hockey.

    To Leandro, the success of the first edition of the Hero Hockey India League is a step in the right direction to grow the game, and he is greatly looking forward to seeing it return in 2014. “It is the kind of event that hockey needs, a professional tournament that shines a light on hockey’s superstars and appeals to fans all around the world. It has had a significant impact on the worldwide exposure of the game.”

    But before HHIL, India will also play host to the Hero Hockey World League Finals in January next year. So whichever way one looks at it, there is a lot of Live action hockey in store for fans in India in the coming months, and many more occasions for Mr. Leandro Negre to visit a country that is almost like a second home to him.

  • Hero to be the title sponsor for Hockey Junior World Cup

    Hero to be the title sponsor for Hockey Junior World Cup

    MUMBAI: Hero Motocorp today announced its association with the Hockey Junior World Cup. Hero will be the title sponsors of the tournament that will see the participation of 16 of the finest junior (under 21yrs) international teams of the world as they fight it out for the title at the famous Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi. The tournament will go on from 6 to 15 December, 2013.

     

    Hero Motocorp is an FIH (International Hockey Federation) partner and the title sponsor for all FIH events taking place in India till the end of 2015.

     

    Hero MotoCorp MD & CEO Pawan Munjal said, “It is a privilege to be associated with the Hockey Junior World Cup. This is also in keeping with our long-term commitment to promote Hockey in the country. Youth plays a pivotal role towards building world-class teams and we hope our support can help drive the growth of hockey in India and around the world. I wish all the participating teams the very best and look forward to seeing some great performance from these future stars of world hockey.”

     

    “The Junior World Cup is an extremely important event for FIH”, said International Hockey Federation CEO Kelly Fairweather. “It puts the spotlight on the future stars of the game, providing some of the finest young talents in the world with the perfect opportunity to make a name for them in a world class sporting environment. We are delighted to have Hero Motorcorp as a Global Partner and the Title Sponsor for the Junior World Cup and other upcoming FIH Major Events in India, including the World League Finals in January,” he added.

     

    The tournament features four pools, each of which contains four teams ahead of the quarter-finals, semi-finals, classification and medal matches. Pool A will feature Germany, Pakistan, Belgium and Egypt, while Australia, Spain, Argentina and France are competing in Pool B. Netherlands, Korea, India and Canada will challenge each other in Pool C with England, New Zealand, South Africa and Malaysia going head to head in Pool D.

     

    The Indian team led by Manpreet Singh will open its campaign against the Netherlands, a team that will almost certainly be targeting the title. Playing under home conditions, Indian hockey’s young guns will compete against other top contenders like Germany, Australia and Spain.