CHENNAI: State-owned Coal India Limited (CIL) became the new title sponsors of the fourth edition of ‘Hockey India League’ for a three-year term on Wednesday, replacing two-wheeler giants Hero MotoCorp.
The announcement was made after CIL’s board cleared the decks for the project entailing Rs 14.73 crores as sponsorship payment. This includes a sponsorship fee of Rs 13 crores as well as cash awards for ‘Coal India best goal of the match’ and ‘Coal India most valuable player of season’ and other expenses.
Christened ‘Coal India-Hockey India League’, the tournament is scheduled to commence from 18 January culminating in the finale on 21 February. A total of 34 matches are to be played across six cities of the country involving six franchises. FIH — the international body that governs hockey across the globe has sanctioned the tournament.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Wednesday at the corporate office of Coal India, Kolkata between Coal India Limited and Hockey League, the apex body governing the sport in India. The pact was inked by R Mohan Das, (Director, Personnel & Industrial Relations) representing the coal sector giant and Elena Norman, CEO Hockey India, and witnessed by Manmeet Singh, Goindi, Director, Sports Authority of India.
Coal India stamped the deal for three seasons beginning with 2016, subject to review at the end of every year for continuance.