Corporates to sponsor events and sports in 2010 CWG

Come October 2010, and the Commonwealth Games (CWG) may actually see sports other than cricket get attention from big corporates.

As part of a tie-up between the organizing committee (OC) of the CWG 2010 and FICCI, the federation of companies, the latter will be lining up companies to sponsor not only the events associated with the Games but even the sports. Said Amit Mitra, secretary general, FICCI, ‘‘The sponsorship from FICCI members will not only be limited to particular events but also to ensuring that the various sports get financial backing from the Indian industry.’’ Mitra was speaking at the signing of an MoU between the OC and FICCI. The agreement between the bodies looks at a strategic alliance where the business network of FICCI can be utilized to market and leverage the huge potential of the Commonwealth Games for the country.

Mitra however, admitted that matching FICCI members with events and sports was still to take off, with the federation only recently getting involved with the Games. ‘‘However, its a field that we are interested in exploring, as we would like to leverage the Games, which has a huge potential to take the country’s sporting capabilities to a bigger level,’’ added the FICCI official. It’s a statement that should gladden the heart of the athletes, who have been allocated a large sum for training for the upcoming Games but little, say officials, have reached the grass-root level.

The views certainly came in for enthusiasm from the OC, which is hoping the tie-up will help its marketing efforts for the Games in 2010. Said Suresh Kalmadi, the chairperson of the OC, ‘‘Some events have already been identified where FICCI will be involved. These include the volunteer programme as well as the Queens Baton Relay.’’ In fact, the business potential of the Relay has already got FICCI excited, with the body claiming it will be hosting the official dinner in London. Added HP Singhania, president, FICCI, ‘‘The list of business luminaries attending the event has already been drawn up by us. Its a fantastic networking opportunity.’’

Closer home, the body will be sponsoring the Games volunteer programme, providing the soft skill training to designated volunteers. It will also sponsor information kiosks during the Games, besides providing its facilities in London for events associated with the Games. Branding and marketing of the Games and related activities will also be a part of its role, according to OC officials.

The tie-up comes in the backdrop of a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which Kalmadi said, envisages a huge financial potential for India. While the Melbourne Games in 2006 saw a gross income generated of over 1.5 billion dollars, the study claims that the Delhi Games will see a far greater income, despite the current financial climate.