Delhi all set to host WSH opening ceremony

The Nimbus-Indian Hockey Federation sponsored World Series Hockey is ready to roll, with Delhi all set to play host to the opening ceremony and the opening match.

With the Bully Off slated for December 15, 2011, plans are afoot to finalise the eight franchises -two of which have already been agreed upon -decide on the players and coaches’ formation, besides sorting out technical issues.

“We have had close to 45 interests so far from people willing to buy the teams, including some known names from the entertainment world. We have a three-fold criteria to pick a franchise -the owners should be related to hockey; financial investment capability comes next; and lastly, we want a commitment from the franchise to develop the sport for the next five years,“ Nimbus COO Yannick Colaco said on Wednesday.

Talking about the format, Colaco said the players would be picked by the eight franchises through a draft system -to be televised live -similar to the practice at NBA. Each franchise can sign a maxi mum of 25 players, each of whose price is fixed.

Till date, the WSH has been creating news for all the wrong reasons, with Hockey India -one of two warring federations fighting for control of the game in the country -“suggesting“ the national players stay away from it. The ambiguity over management has hurt the players the most.

India goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza and striker Prabhjot Singh were “sidelined“ from the national team after the duo -along with three others -opted to attend a WSH promotional event in Mumbai two months back. Colaco distanced himself from the controversy, saying, “You have to ask Hockey India and the IHF about this. It is not my job.“

However, he was upbeat about the Series. “As someone investing into the future of hockey, we are creating something that will popularise the game and also give the players a chance to earn money. Till date, nobody has said that the league will not help promote the sport,“ he said. As many as 200 national and international players are expected to be part of the league that will be played over six weeks.