Courtesy: World Screen


ESS to Premiere International Futsal Tournament

By Irene Lew

KUALA LUMPUR, November 28: ESPN STAR Sports will organize the international futsal tournament, the KL World 5’s, which will be held in Malaysia in early 2008 and broadcast on the network to more than 310 million viewers across Asia.

The KL World 5’s, a collaboration between ESPN STAR Sports and the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Malaysia, will be held at Stadium Negara in Malaysia from January 29 to February 3, 2008. The tournament will have a total purse of $150,000 and will feature 10 teams from around the world, including Brazil, Argentina, Holland, England, Iran, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and hosts Malaysia.

ESPN STAR Sports will feature 100 hours of coverage of the tournament, comprising 30 telecast hours, including 20 hours of live programming. The KL World 5’s stem from a multiyear strategic alliance signed between the broadcaster and Malaysia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports in October 2005 that aims to raise participation and interest in sport in Malaysia. This includes the staging of the last KL World 5’s futsal tournament in 2003; the Asian X Games in Kuala Lumpur from 2002 to 2004 and 2006; the broadcast of the new Malaysian edition of SportsCenter in April; and the Guinness 9 Ball Tour in Genting Highlands in June this year.

Manu Sawhney, the managing director of ESPN STAR Sports, commented: “The KL World 5’s is the result of collaborative effort between ESPN STAR Sports and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to bring the best of the international sporting events to Malaysia. We share the Ministry of Youth and Sport’s vision and ambition to build a strong, long-term and active sporting culture in Malaysia and we are committed to work with the vision of developing premier sports events here.”




Courtesy: Indian Television


ESS to stage Futsal tournament in Malaysia

28 November 2007

MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports (ESS) will organise the futsal tournament, attracting top teams to Malaysia from 29 January to 3 February 2008.

The KL World 5’s will be held at Stadium Negara, Malaysia’s first indoor stadium and a national heritage building. Futsal is a smaller version of soccer and is played by 10 players - five for each side indoors.

The KL World 5’s will have a total purse of $150,000, and feature 10 teams in the tournament. The event is expected to draw futsal fans from Malaysia and the region with the pedigree of the international teams such as Brazil, Argentina, Holland and England will join the likes of Asian champion Iran, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and hosts Malaysia in action.

ESS Asia MD Manu Sawhney says, “The KL World 5’s is the result of collaborative effort between ESPN Star Sports and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to bring the best of the international sporting events to Malaysia. We share the Ministry of Youth and Sport’s vision and ambition to build a strong, long-term and active sporting culture in Malaysia and we are committed to work with the vision of developing premier sports events here.

“The tournament will offer Malaysian futsal fans an opportunity to watch top international teams in a festive atmosphere while cheering on their national team”.

Malaysia Datuk Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Azalina Othman said, “The arrival of this tournament is indeed a huge boost for the game, which is currently enjoying phenomenal growth in the country.

“As one of the first events to kick-off 2008, we’re proud to be working with a committed partner in ESPN Star Sports to develop marquee events. Futsal has become increasingly popular around the world and Malaysia has been enjoying phenomenal growth evident by the increasing number of futsal centres in Kuala Lumpur and urban areas throughout the country. The KL World 5’s is the perfect event to reinforce that growth for spectators and participants alike.”

ESS and the Ministry of Youth and Sports have a tradition of partnerships stemming from a multi-year strategic alliance signed in October 2005 to raise participation and interest in sport in Malaysia. This includes the successful staging of the last KL World 5’s futsal tournament in 2003, the Asian X Games in Kuala Lumpur in 2002-2004 and 2006, the broadcast of the new Malaysian edition of SportsCenter in April followed by the Guinness 9 Ball Tour in Genting Highlands in June this year.



Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com