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MUMBAI:
Deccan Chronicle has unveiled the name, logo, flag and anthem
of the Hyderabad team for the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL)
T20 cricket tournament.
The
team has been named the Deccan Chargers and has a "charging
bull" as its logo.
Deccan
Chronicle chairman Venkatram Reddy says, "The Deccan
Chronicle Group has always believed in promoting sports, including
cricket and the Deccan Chargers is our way of contributing
to this vision. We are confident that our Deccan Chargers
would inspire a whole new generation of cricketers in Hyderabad,
Andhra Pradesh and Orissa to build on their talents and reach
greater heights."
Deccan
Chargers president and CEO J Krishnan adds, "The logo
for the team, the 'charging bull' signifies strength, power
and aggression. The team flag comprises red and gold. Red
stands for aggression and dominance; gold signifies victory.
The Deccan Chargers team will always be strong, powerful and
aggressive and will play to win."
Mindshare's
Hiren Pandit says that the expectation is that the franchise
will turn cash positive after three years. Mindshare is playing
the role of a consultancy to Deccan Chronicle.
"For
Deccan Chronicle, there is a larger aim. They will take the
league to schools and colleges and do grassroots activities.
The big challenge is to cultivate fan clubs. This is a long-term
aim and will take three years to fully develop. In the first
year, our aim is to get people into the stadiums."
Drawing
a parallel to the English Premier League, Pandit says that
Manchester United derives millions in revenues from its fan
base. They travel with the team to different locations where
they play. Merchandise sales have gone through the roof. The
same logic applies to the IPL franchisees. He also feels that
viewership of GEC channels will take a hit as there is an
element of entertainment in terms of how the IPL will be packaged.
"When
there is a lot of action and big shots being played, we see
that women tune in to cricket. They become more accepting
of it, and to an extent don't mind not seeing their usual
fare. At the same, though entertainment like the opening ceremony
is fine, it is important that cricket be played seriously.
The on-field activities must not become a tamasha.
If it does, then you lose both sport and entertainment,"
he warns.
He
adds that the franchises should create a feeling of belonging
and ownership among fans. While this will take time, he believes
that the Hyderabad team has the talent to make it happen.
The
team management of the Deccan Chargers has appointed Adam
Gilchrist as the vice captain of the team. Gilchrist said
that he was delighted to be a part of the Hyderabad team and
was excited that players from so many cultures would play
together.
"Boundary
lines only exist on cricket grounds, but there would be no
boundaries within the team players," Gilchrist said.
He
expressed his appreciation of the Hyderabad cricket fans and
said they were extremely knowledgeable and terrific supporters
of the game. Accepting the position of vice captain, he pledged
to bring all his international experience to support the growth
of young cricketers in the Hyderabad franchise.
Deccan
Chargers captain VVS Laxman said, "It is an honour to
be the captain of such a wonderful team of international players,
each a match winner in his own right. The DLF IPL Twenty20
would also provide a great platform for our younger players
to play side by side with international greats and hone their
skills."
The
team has Indian youth in the form of emerging superstars Rohit
Sharma and RP Singh, and the experience of Scott Styris, Chaminda
Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa. Current Indian fielding coach Robin
Singh, who will be assisted by Kawaljit Singh and cricket
managers Shishir Hattangadi and Vijay Mohan Raj, will coach
the team.
The
Deccan Chargers also unveiled their interactive website www.deccanchargers.com,
which boasts discussion forums, player stats, match schedules,
photo/video gallery and blogs so that fans from all over the
world can interact with and support their team.
The
Deccan Chargers will play their first game against the Kolkata
Knight Riders in Kolkata on 20 April. The team will then travel
back to Hyderabad to play its first home game against the
Delhi Daredevils on 22 April at the Rajiv Gandhi International
Stadium.
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