YES BANK roped in as sponsors of Hockey India League

Sardar Singh (L) and Jaime Dwyer pictured at last year’s launch event

Hockey India League has a new sponsor this year, with Yes Bank the newest entrant in the list of promoters. HIL hopes to raise about Rs. 40 crore a year over the next four years from their on-ground sponsors.

Three more brands in addition to Yes Bank are to be signed on, revealed Lokesh Sharma, MD at Twenty First Century Media, which handles marketing activities for HIL.

“We are in talks with several companies who have showed interest in the property. In the next one week, we should be able to announce three more names,” said Sharma.

“One of the companies we are talking to is in the entertainment space,” he said though he refrained from divulging any details pertaining to estimated sponsorship fee or the names of the companies.

Hero will continue in its role of title sponsor, just as it had done in the inaugural edition last year. Airtel are one of the associate sponsors. There will be an additional team in the fray this year, taking the count to six teams, with the Bhubaneshwar-based Kalinga Lancers joining in.

The tournament will begin in January 2014.