Officer's Choice to sponsor football

Officer's Choice, the liquor brand from the house of Allied Blenders and Distillers, is associating with the Indian Football Association (IFA) to sponsor a football tournament beginning April 4 in West Bengal, in an attempt to build the brand around 'youth' and 'challenges for the young'.

According to Tim Havaldar, vice-president - marketing, Allied Blenders and Distillers, "We wanted to associate with football in West Bengal since this is one of the most loved sports here. Also, Officer's Choice as a brand stands for youth, energy, vibrancy and challenges, so the brandfit with a football tournament is perfect."

Officer's Choice also plans to associate itself with music and sponsor music competitions in other states, in an attempt to associate with activities that are about youth and challenges.

Officer's Choice State League Football Tournament involves the top clubs of 19 districts in West Bengal, aimed at promoting football at the district level.

The championship will begin from April 4 and will go on till about May this year, with 53 matches to be played.

Sponsored by Officer's Choice, the first prize money for the winner would be between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.75 lakh, while the runner-up will receive Rs 65,000.

Another Rs 25-30,000 will be given to the losing semi-finalists.

According to S B Ganguly, president of IFA, "Officer's Choice State League is a tournament which is expected to help strengthen the football base in the districts of West Bengal. We want this tournament to become an example for other states to follow."

The tournament will be played in two phases. In the first phase, top teams from the 19 districts will be divided into six groups and teams in each group will play against each other in home and in 'away' formats.

At the end of the first phase, the top two teams of each group will be selected to play in the second phase and the top four teams will play in the semi-finals, while the winners of the semi-finals will play in the final to decide the champion team of the district.

Officer's Choice recently sponsored the Chirag United Sports Club, one of the leading football clubs, which went on to play in the Premier League of Kolkata as well as in the second division I-League.