2nd August, 2016, Mumbai: Subroto Cup Football Tournament, India’s most famous and largest Inter School Football Tournament, organized by the Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society under the aegis of Air Force Sports Control Board, have now got on board a professional brand and sponsorship management firm, Meraki Sport and Entertainment based out of Mumbai.
The tournament was the brainchild of (late) Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee. He conceived the idea of launching a football tournament, at the junior level, in 1958, the year when he was the Chief of the Air Staff. Over the years, the scope of the tournament has been widened to include foreign participation as a logical step forward in an endeavor to encourage budding footballers, and offer them international exposure at a tender age. Baichung Bhutia, Shyam Thapa,Amit Das, Ashin Biswas, VP Satish Kumar, Nirmal Chhetri, Robin Singh and Jackie Chand Singh amongst many others have credited the Subroto Cup as a turning point in their football careers.
Formed in 2015, Meraki Sport and Entertainment specialises in Strategic Consulting, Experiential Marketing & Live Events, Talent Management, Digital & Content Marketing and Cause Marketing. MSE’s first project after their inception was with the SMSES wherein they created a platform called the Subroto Cup Charity Night, held in Delhi last year, with legendary footballer Pele as the chief guest. The charity night aimed to bring awareness and raise funds for Indian sportsmen who had qualified for the Olympics in Rio this year.
The company will work closely with SMSES to enhance the speak of the tournament whilst creating a framework for sponsorship outreach. MSE with their expertise in sport sponsorship and marketing will look to enhance the tournament’s visibility & profile amongst potential brands and sponsors.
The company played a pivotal role in bringing on board India’s largest and most watched television sporting channel Star Sports as the presenting sponsor for the Subroto Cup. MSE have also structured a partnership with India’s very own home grown balanced energy drink, Enerzal, to support the tournament by providing rehydration products for all participants. The company will work closely with the partners and organiser’s through the course of the year with the aim of garnering maximum traction and visibility for the initiative.
Shouvik Bhattacharya, Squadron Leader, Indian Air Force said “Subroto Cup is a tournament with a legacy of 57 years. Our tournament in which annually 32,000 schools participate is in the process of getting bigger and better especially when Min of HRD has made this tournament a mandate for every school to participate. At this juncture, I believe a professional team like Meraki will be instrumental in structuring this tournament for scaling greater heights in the coming years. I am sure that their association with the tournament will add value to the tournament in which the brands and the corporates will be interested in investing.
Ajit Ravindran, CEO, Meraki Sport and Entertainment said “The Subroto Cup is a tournament with a rich legacy and history which we believe should be used as a template to build a successful grassroots program for football in India. We are extremely glad to be working closely with the SMSES. Our goal is to help build the tournament as a product that brands will see value in investing in as well as help these brands leverage their investment to ensure that they receive a significant ROI. Star Sports is a great fit on all aspects since they share the same understanding and vision for football development as the SMSES. We will aim to leverage this association to meet the goals of all parties involved in the initiative”
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