Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Monday, February 28, 2022
LaLiga, the Spanish top-tier football league, is celebrating ‘Five Years in India’ for the opening of the Indian office in 2017. The milestone moment was marked with the first edition of ‘LaLiga Extra Time India’ and a fan screening for the highly anticipated Sevilla Derby, also known as the ‘El Gran Derbi’ (Sevilla FC v Real Betis) fixture in Bengaluru. The events were attended by 100+ fans, LaLiga partners like PUMA India, Hero Vired, Rural Development Trust and more.
LaLiga, the Spanish top-tier football league, is celebrating ‘Five Years in India’ for the opening of the Indian office in 2017. The milestone moment was marked with the first edition of ‘LaLiga Extra Time India’ and a fan screening for the highly anticipated Sevilla Derby, also known as the ‘El Gran Derbi’ (Sevilla FC v Real Betis) fixture.
The first edition of ‘LaLiga Extra Time India’ was held on 25th February 2022 and saw attendance from spokespeople from some of LaLiga’s key partners in the country like – Mr. Amit Prabhu, Executive Director & Chief Financial Officer, PUMA India, Arushi Awasthi, Director – Brand Communications, Hero Vired and Sai Krishna Pulluru, Director, Anantapur Sports Academy. The event involved a panel discussion on the work LaLiga does with its partners in the country, the impact of joint initiatives and plans for the coming years for this country.
The El Gran Derbi Watch Party, held on 27th February 2022, was among the first public fan viewings LaLiga has held since the onset of the pandemic. Organised keeping all safety protocols at the forefront, it involved engagement activities like contests and games for the 100+ fans who earned their spot by participating in digital contests on LaLiga’s social media handles, also on LaLiga’s broadcaster MTV and Voot Select’s social media platforms. Along with these fans, LaLiga’s sponsors and key partners were also a part of the watch party.
Speaking about the events, Jose Antonio Cachaza, Managing Director, LaLiga India, said, “We came to India five years ago recognising the zeal this country has for football, and several times in the time since then, the fans here have surprised us by surpassing our expectations. It has been a delight to work with our international and local partners to create something special for our fans and football enthusiasts in the country. The coming years hold a lot in the bag for India when it comes to football and we’re excited to be a part of the journey.”
Amit Prabhu, Executive Director & Chief Finance Officer, PUMA India, said, “We have been working with LaLiga globally and in India for 3 years now. The result of this partnership has been nothing short of phenomenal. Our shared vision for the growth and development of football in the country has helped us achieve reach, expand accessibility and cemented our commitment towards the overall sporting ecosystem. We will continue to drive the football culture and conversation in India.”
Arushi Awasthi, Director – Brand Communications, Hero Vired, said, “LaLiga has built a monumental connection with football fans in the country and we are excited about our association with them. As the official knowledge partner of LaLiga in India, we at Hero Vired want to integrate the best of both worlds – education and sports. At Hero Vired, we are constantly working towards creating opportunities and bringing in best-in-class experiences for our learners with such partnerships.”
LaLiga established local presence in India five years ago in order to strengthen the connection with existing fans and increase accessibility for newer fans. In this duration, the Spanish league has expanded the fan base, grown social audience by 2000%, established grassroots programs and built strong relations with leading Indian companies like BKT, Dream11 and HeroVired. Other landmark initiatives include signing the Indian Men’s Cricket Team Captain, Rohit Sharma as LaLiga’s first-ever Brand Ambassador in India, brining Girona FC to play matches in India, organizing large fan viewings and events with several of the most renowned LaLiga Legends visiting and many more.
