Get sporty!

The concept is rather simple. There is a package of games offered to the participants – cricket, football, basketball, golf and arm wrestling. So if there is a future Sachin Tendulkar or a prospective Indian Pele lurking in the crowd, all they have to do is sign up for that particular game. If it is cricket, then the enterprising soul will have to face, bat in hand, a bowling machine that chucks… sorry, throws (as per ICC rules!!) the ball at varying speeds. And the speeds could vary from 20 kmph to more than 100 kmph.

If your preference happens to be football, a whole set of goals will be put up for you. The enthusiasts can dodge and dribble to their hearts’ content as they kick in. If the size of the crowd is a deterrent, worry not, because the organisers have promised a number of playing arenas at each game-station.’

Not only that, the participants also get a whole lot of information on the games they play. The organisers have designed cards that elucidate the rules of each game. So if you were wondering what Travelling and Jumpball’ is, they are actually terms used to describe a violation and the start of a basketball match respectively. The cards also highlight a few noted exponents of the game.

“The idea,” says R.K. Singh, managing director, ESPN Sports, “is to bring the viewer close to the actual game. Because we intend to contribute to the growth of sports in India, not at an institutional level but at a micro level.” In other words, schools, colleges and possibly a sports academy could be the new happy hunting grounds for spotting, encouraging and financing emerging sportspersons. And if that helps their business grow, as Singh puts it, so much the better. After all, the carnivals put together have cost them something in the stratospheric range of Rs. 1 crore and above.

The carnival lives up to its name. Along with the sporting activities, there is promise of music, eats and a number of stalls that will merchandise their wares. So if one needs to shake a leg or take a break, there is enough scope for both indulgences.

Meanwhile, ESPN Star Sports is gearing up for the sporting event of the year. As the cricket World Cup looms ahead, Singh puts to rest all contradictions about who will be covering it. “We will cover every ball of every match.” The threat of Doordarshan (DD) as a rival channel does not bother him as “DD has the rights to telecast only 11 matches, those in which India is playing.”

The PlayZone carnival will be held over two days, January 9 and 10, kicking off at 11 a.m and closing down at 9.00 p.m. Entry is free, but people will have to collect their passes, which are being distributed throughout the city in schools, restaurants and amongst cable operators. From Pune, the carnival moves on to Mumbai, Indore and Ahmedabad.