Sexing up soccer: A whole new ball game

SPREADING THE NEWS
Well before match day, Indian team members Rennedy Singh, Debjit Ghosh and Deepak Mondol — and ex-stars Sathyan and Brahmanand were taken to Kolkata schools. Chidlren were given autographed footballs and Indian flags, and 20,000 match tickets

On the streets, hoardings and banners were set up; in print, ads in English and Bengali dailies; indoors, press meets every second day to hype up the game and keep it top-of-the-mind

TV RIGHTS, SOCCER-STYLE
The TV rights were sold to event managers IMG for Rs 3 crore who sold it to various broadcasters

TICKETS
Tickets to foreigners — mainly Japanese — went for Rs 1,000, the highest ever in Indian football. For that price, they got a separate enclosure with cushioned seats, police protection, unlimited mineral water, separate car parks, newly-renovated toilets

MERCHANDISING
Leading club East Bengal (and their sponsors Kingfisher) were given stall space outside the stadium to sell merchandise, possibly another first in Indian football. EB official Babu Chakraborty said jerseys, umbrellas, caps, watches, socks in club colours were on sale, also India and Japan team jerseys

TECHNO POWER
Electronic substitution boards — the ones fourth referees use to announce player replacements — were seen on an Indian ground for the first time. Also, the 80-odd Japanese journalists were provided with wireless Internet feed at their seats

RETURNS ON INVESTMENT
AIFF hasn’t yet disclosed how much they’ve made off the match but an IFA official says profits are ‘‘by far more than the highest before today; Rs 13 lakh for the Mohun Bagan-East Bengal match in July, 2003’’

— (SHAMYA DASGUPTA)