Windfall for basketball after long-term corporate deal

The company will also help the BFI pay an honorarium to top-level hoopsters,divided into two categories — A and B — based on their experience,skills and performance in national and international tournaments. The BFI,meanwhile,will retain all technical rights under the agreement.

RIL will also provide complete scholarships,including for education,to eight players who will be sent to Tampa,Florida,for further training and pursuing their studies. The combination will also begin a college and school league from this year to tap new talent. “It’s a red-letter day for the game as well as the players,” said Harish Sharma,adding,“from here we can only look ahead.”

Asked if the deal will in any affect the existing Mahindra-NBA school programmes,Sharma said he did not see any legal hassle,nor will it disrupt the other BFI programmes. “At the end of the day,all of them are meant to promote the game,” he added. The BFI will soon finalise players eligible to receive annual payments as well as the eight children for scholarships.

“We have already sounded out some parents to come to New Delhi for a talk. Both we (the BFI) and IMG will interview the players before selecting the final eight,” said Sharma.