Thiruvananthapuram: Sachin Tendulkar will grace the opening ceremony of India’s first-ever water-based boat racing league on Punnamada Lake in August.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will flag off the Champions Boat League on August 10 on the sidelines of the famed Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
“Every detail has been worked out meticulously for the hassle-free conduct of the event. The preparations are moving to the final stages,” tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran told a press conference here on Saturday, disclosing the structure, schedule and other details of the three-month-long event.
“CBL will bring benefit to all stakeholders. In a normal situation, the rowers used to benefit just from a single day’s work in a year. However, through CBL, they will be able to make handsome gains.”
He also launched its website (www.championsboatleague.in) and jerseys for the oarsmen of the nine participating teams, besides unveiling the trophy of CBL and releasing a promo video.
Tourism secretary Rani George and director P. Bala Kiran were also present. The nine teams for the first edition of the boat race will be put up for bidding for franchise acquisition at Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty pm Thursday, instead of Monday.
Several Indian corporates with interest in national sports leagues have evinced keen interest, they said. Celebrities have also shown interest in associating with the event. Bidders can share their expression of interest to franchisee@championsboatleague.in.
There is a total of Rs 5.9 crore prize money for CBL which makes it the fourth highest in all sports in India. The first three winners of each match will get Rs 5 lakh, Rs 3 lakh, and Rs 1 lakh respectively. Moreover, all participants will get a bonus cash prize of Rs 4 lakh for each match.
For the glitch-free conduct of the sporting extravaganza, Kerala Tourism has formed a government-owned private limited company. An agency consortium, led by E factor Entertainment and The Social Street, has been selected as consultants. To attract high-profile bidders, Kerala Tourism has dangled an array of benefits through sponsorships and TV and digital rights. The teams will be participating in 12 races across 12 locations on 12 weekends.
All races will be held in the afternoon: between 2.30 pm and 5 pm. The CBL winner will get a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, while those finishing second and third receive Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, respectively. Tickets for the boat races can be booked online through ‘Book my Show’ platform. Around 20 counters will also be set up in all the venues for spot purchase of tickets, priced between Rs 100 and Rs 3,000.
