Goal 2010, a collaborative effort between Zee Sports and the All India Football Federation is designed to raise the awareness of domestic football throughout the country through a three-week series of high profile roadshows in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune Lucknow, Kolkatta and Jaipur. "We realise the power of the great game in unifying people. The AIFF with its partner Zee Sports is committed to taking Indian football to the highest possible stage in world football. We appeal to the people of the country to come forward and support us in making this dream a reality," AIFF chief Priyaranjan Das Munshi said at the kick-off in Chandigarh.
"The countrywide roadshows will attempt to create hype about different and unknown facets of Indian football and also try to form a fan base in parts of the country where the game is yet to catch the fancy of the public at large. For this legends of Indian football will be roped to give the marketing blitz recognisable faces," Television Point commented.
AIFF has a 10-year telecast deal with Zee Sports television in which around 100 matches from the National Football League, Federation Cup and Santosh Trophy are shown live on television ever year, besides beaming all international matches featuring India live into drawing rooms.
"AIFF has the full backing of FIFA in this effort and we seriously want to increase the reach of Indian football. We have undertaken a multi media marketing and promotional campaign across the country. As part of the campaign several below the line activities including road shows, pub screening and football kiosks were initiated in several cities to popularise soccer in India." added Gary Lovejoy, Chief Operating Officer, Zee Sports.
"The countrywide roadshows will attempt to create hype about different and unknown facets of Indian football and also try to form a fan base in parts of the country where the game is yet to catch the fancy of the public at large. For this legends of Indian football will be roped to give the marketing blitz recognisable faces," Television Point commented.
AIFF has a 10-year telecast deal with Zee Sports television in which around 100 matches from the National Football League, Federation Cup and Santosh Trophy are shown live on television ever year, besides beaming all international matches featuring India live into drawing rooms.
"AIFF has the full backing of FIFA in this effort and we seriously want to increase the reach of Indian football. We have undertaken a multi media marketing and promotional campaign across the country. As part of the campaign several below the line activities including road shows, pub screening and football kiosks were initiated in several cities to popularise soccer in India." added Gary Lovejoy, Chief Operating Officer, Zee Sports.
See also: India's "Project World Cup" for South Africa 2010 (16 June)