ISLAMABAD, June 14: World’s leading sports television channels Singapore’s ESPN and Dubai-based TenSports have emerged as the front-runners in the bid to win the international telecasting rights of Pakistan’s Super Hockey League kicking off this fall.

Another channel ZeeSports is also in the run but ESPN having also covered India’s Premier Hockey League (PHL) in March and the UAE channel are said to be in a strong position.

Naveed Haider, Director Marketing of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) who recently held talks with officials of Singapore-based channel told Dawn they were keen on striking a deal and in this regard their delegation is due to arrive in Pakistan shortly.

“Dubai channel with whom we have had talks earlier, have also shown great interest in the League and I am confident we will be able to seal a lucrative deal shortly with one of the channels.”

In an effort to revive the sport the PHF is to launch the league on September 10 with six teams on show in the competition which will have all matches being played under lights.

The teams in the league that will involve 18 matches, are to compete under the proposed names of Sindh Qalanders, Baloch Lions, Frontier Falcons, Shan-e-Punjab, Kashmir Cavaliars and Capital Dynamos.

“We have told the channels the kind of coverage and money that we expect and hopefully things will work out the way we want them to be,” Naveed said.

A June 30 deadline has been set for the channels to submit their financial packages after which a final decision will be taken.

The PHF wants that the channel that wins the telecasting rights promote the league in a comprehensive manner. “We would like them to create hockey fever in the run-up to the event and then fully cover the matches and also re-run them after the competition ends.”

Naveed, although not willing to reveal the financial details, did indicate that Singapore-based channel had offered a certain sum that was a bit short of PHF’s expectations.

“Each team in the league will also have a separate sponsor for which talks are on with several companies. Besides, a world famous sports goods firm has shown interest in providing kits to the participating players.”

There are also going to be good financial incentives with each player appearing in the league being paid Rs 15,000 plus full board. The Man of the Match award will be worth Rs 10,000 while the Man of the Tournament is to take home Rs 150,000. The competition’s Best Goalkeeper and the Highest Scorer are to pocket Rs 100,000 each.

The winning team will have their hands full with an award of Rs two million while the losing finalists scoop up Rs 1.5 million. A third place finish is to fetch Rs 1.2 million followed by awards of Rs one million and 0.75 million.

“These awards are being offered on the specific instructions of the new PHF president Tariq Kirmani who wants to make hockey financially attractive.”

The PHF aims to make the league the biggest sporting event of the year and intends inviting President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to witness matches.

“Telecasting the league internationally would send out an image of Pakistan being a sports-loving country and this initiative of organising the league will surely help revitalise the game.”

Meanwhile, as many as 12 foreign players are to be invited to play in the league, six of them from India and as many from Europe and Malaysia.