Audi Football Summit ushers in a new chapter in Indian football
by EVENTFAQS Bureau | Marketing | January 17, 2012 | News
To raise the standard of football in India, Audi India kickstarted the first edition of the Audi Football Summit with a match between FC Bayern Muenchen, Germany's winning team of the 1974 FIFA World Cup, and the Indian national team at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi on Jan. 10. The match was held to bid farewell to Indian football icon, Baichung Bhutia. The ticket proceeds from the match will be used to assist the earthquake affected people in Sikkim. Tiger Sports Marketing managed the event.
Speaking about the objective of the summit, Michael Perschke, MD, Audi India said: "Audi has always believed in the power of innovation to drive change. With our strong association with Bayern Muenchen, we wanted to give the best exposure to millions of Indian children who love football and inspire them to achieve excellence through the game. The Audi Football Summit is also our salute to Bhaichung Bhutia, who has been the driving force in Indian football for many years. Through this partnership, Audi India seeks to bring the world's most popular sport to India and provide a strong platform for its budding talent. "
The event commenced with a sanction from the All India Football Federation (AIFF), followed by a selection procedure with an internal match between the Mumbai and Delhi teams. The best of the lot were selected to play against FC Bayern MuenchenThe match was witnessed by 42,000 spectators, along with a viewership of 40,000 people. . In addition, Baichung Bhutia was gifted the Audi Q5 as a part of the farewell. The match was promoted through print and television media.
Commenting on the occasion, Paul Breitner, former football player and member of FC Bayern Muenchen, said: "Traditionally, both Germany and India have enjoyed a cultural and business relationship for years and it's time that we also work together in developing the popular sport of football in India. The Audi Football Summit is a big step towards achieving this goal. I hope that millions of youngsters will be inspired to play the game after watching their heroes in the exhibition match."
Speaking about the association, Sayeed Sanadi, Director, Tiger Sports Marketing said: "We have been associated with Audi for a long time and have executed various launches for them. We have now taken a step further to strengthen our relationship with Audi India."
The sponsors for the summit were Hindustan Times as the print partner, bookmyshow.com as the ticketing partner, and Ten Action as the telecast partner, amongst others. The sponsors benefited through print and television ads and visibility on the invites.
The match between Germany and India was managed by Tiger Sports Marketing on Jan. 10 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi.