<span style="color: rgb(57, 57, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 28px; line-height: 30px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Pepsi initiative to bring top Chelsea player to India</span><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; "><span style="color: rgb(57, 57, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 28px; line-height: 30px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">MUMBAI: In a bid to popularise </span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Football"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">football</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> in the country, Cola giant Pepsi plans to bring a top</span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/English-Premier-League"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">English Premier League</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> player to the country in June. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Star international footballers from the English football club </span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Chelsea"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Chelsea</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> </span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Didier-Drogba"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Didier Drogba</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">, </span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Frank-Lampard"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Frank Lampard</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> and </span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Fernando-Torres"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Fernando Torres</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> will feature in a soon-to-be-aired Pepsi 'Change the Game' advertisement along with Indian cricket team skipper </span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Mahendra-Singh-Dhoni"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">, </span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Suresh-Raina"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Suresh Raina</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">,</span><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Virat-Kohli"; style="color: rgb(51, 103, 151); text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-family: georgia; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Virat Kohli</a><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> and Harbhajan Singh. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"At an appropriate time we will let you know who that international player is who will come down and coach the winning team. We will share the information as we come closer to June. You will see how Pepsi is changing the game and we are the first brand to bring footballers and cricketers in the same commercial," a Pepsi official told said. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Asked if all the three Chelsea players would come to India, the official said, "We are working on the processes and dates, so at least one of them would be coming to Delhi." </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The source added that the footballers are associated with the brand individually and it is not a tie-up with their club. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Pepsi recently launched its first football campaign in India featuring actor Ranbir Kapoor. The campaign has been followed by a grassroots initiative called Pepsi T20 Football, where amateur footballers will play against each other to finally compete against the Indian cricketers. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In an advertisement, Ivory Coast International Drogba says, "I like Dhoni. (In a) few games I have been watching of his, he is brilliant. He has been fantastic." </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The commercial features the cricketers challenging the footballers to a game of cricket to win Pepsi, while the footballers show them how to play cricket - football style. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"Playing football in cricket style, that's a very new thing for us," English mid-fielder Lampard says while Spaniard Torres adds, "Playing soccer in cricket style was real fun." </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The format of the game has been changed to suit the needs of the masses, the source said, adding that the duration of the game is for 20 minutes including a five-minute break between the two halves. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"For us Pepsi T20 football is an exciting way of playing the game. When we decided to associate with the game, it essentially came from the fact that it is an emerging youth passion. It is our way of popularising the game in a fun exciting form," he said. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"It is a seven-a- side tournament with 20 minutes game. The most exciting part is that it is a large scale initiative that we have embarked on to popularise the sport of football. It will be played across seven cities. We have already covered Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and now, Mumbai. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"Then we will take it to Lucknow, Ludhiana and Delhi. There will be eight teams who slug it out in mid June. Of those, the finalist will be coached by an international football star and will play against the Indian cricketers. We have started with 64 teams in each city. It is a large scale programme and we had to keep a cap on the registration because of the huge response. The format of the game is exciting as it is played in a cage," the official said. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The global beverage maker has partnered broadcaster ESPN StarSports to telecast the matches and has changed the rules of the game. </span><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">"The basic rules of football remain the same but what T20 does is it adds its own rules to the game which makes it more entertaining. You can even a hit a four and a six in this format, depending on the distance from the area you score a goal. The goalkeeper cannot come out of the box, otherwise it becomes a penalty. These kinds of rules have been added to make the game more interesting," the official said.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">___________________________________________________________</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Verdana; "><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-family: georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(63, 63, 63); font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font face="'Arial Black'">AIFF WHERE ARE YOU!!!! EURO FOOTBALL WILL FOREVER RULE 100 TIMES OVER INDIAN DOMESTIC FOOTBALL!</font></span></div>
<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ko7ecVO7qrk</font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">AIFF GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND GET DOWN TO CHENNAI!</font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">Also this is offtopic but this must show you guys that Chennai can be a football town.</font></div>
<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ko7ecVO7qrk</font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">AIFF GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND GET DOWN TO CHENNAI!</font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">Also this is offtopic but this must show you guys that Chennai can be a football town.</font></div>
<br><div><br></div><div>Actually chennai could not be a good football living city..it will take minimum of 5 years of good i-league to get fans over there as it is predominantly a cricket loving city </div>
<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ko7ecVO7qrk</font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">AIFF GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND GET DOWN TO CHENNAI!</font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><br></font></div><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">Also this is offtopic but this must show you guys that Chennai can be a football town.</font></div>
<br><div><br></div><div>Actually chennai could not be a good football living city..it will take minimum of 5 years of good i-league to get fans over there as it is predominantly a cricket loving city </div>
<br><br>Come on. I dont think any major city in the world is a one-sport place. Hockey worked there. And I am not saying now, but it definitely has potential and maybe once I-League gets to a point of 16 teams and some popular games with average attendance over 10,000 then we could go for Chennai. <br>
In chennai or as an entire TN football as a sport doesnt come even in top 5 liking of people....<div>hockey is got good grass root development in chennai yet it didnt got the same support as recieved in cities like bangalore, mumbai or bhopal...</div><div><br></div><div>i would like to see teams from bangalore, kerala and delhi then shall see for any other state teams in north and south</div>
Comments
<br><div><br></div><div>You just want Chelsea players to come to I-League games, dont you
<br><div><br></div><div>Speaking of dreams.... GET TO SLEEP!</div>
<br><div><br></div><div>Actually chennai could not be a good football living city..it will take minimum of 5 years of good i-league to get fans over there as it is predominantly a cricket loving city </div>
<br><br>Come on. I dont think any major city in the world is a one-sport place. Hockey worked there. And I am not saying now, but it definitely has potential and maybe once I-League gets to a point of 16 teams and some popular games with average attendance over 10,000 then we could go for Chennai. <br>