Posted on: 21-03-07 10:25:47
http://www.samachar.com/showurl.php?rurl=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/big-bucks-riding-on-team-india/top/36571-7.html?xml&news=Sponsors%20fear%20Team%20India`s%20early%20exit&pubDate=Wed%2C+21+Mar+2007+19%3A10%3A35++0100&keyword=ibn_home
"Sony Entertainment Television (SET), a unit of Sony Corp, which has the broadcast rights for the 2007 World Cup, expects to rake in about Rs 500 crore in ad revenue this World Cup as compared with Rs 350 crore last time.
According to Indian media buyers' estimate, rates for a 30-second ad spot during the World Cup ranges between Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. Clearly, the stakes are too high for the sponsors and an early exit of Team India may mean a change in the entire advertising strategy."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....
"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"
Indian team all professional cricketers who breath/play and dream cricket. While look at the Irish cricket team !.
I'll buy any product promoted/modelled by this team !.
http://worldcup.indiatimes.com/News/News/Cant_come_back_yet_boss_Im_in_the_Super_Eights/articleshow/1825650.cms
Can't come back yet boss, I'm in the Super Eights!
REUTERS
GEORGETOWN, March 28: Never mind the form and confidence of his players going in to the second stage this week, the Irish manager’s big concern was that all his men could get time off from their day jobs to compete.
Ireland, playing their first World Cup, shocked the cricket world when they defeated 1992 winners Pakistan with a three-wicket victory in Jamaica in the group stage on March 17. That win as good as sealed their passage to the last eight.
Whereas the other seven teams in the Super Eights are 100 per cent professional, 
Ireland’s team boast a farmer, a teacher, delivery drivers, a salesman and more .
\"Once we had it confirmed we were through I had to ring home to speak to all the players’ employers and confirm that they could give the players another month off,\" manager Roy Torrens told Reuters at the team’s hotel in Georgetown.
\"I wouldn’t have liked to own the business that said ‘no’. Given the euphoria in the country at the moment regarding the cricket team and the profile that the players are getting, I would have been very surprised if any had refused.
\"We were fortunate that quite a few of the players’ employers were actually out in Jamaica supporting the team and it wasn’t a difficult question to ask.
“But you have to do these things and go through the proper channels.\" Three of Ireland’s players are professional with Eoin Morgan at Middlesex, Niall O’Brien - man-of-the match against Pakistan - contracted to Northamptonshire and fast bowler Boyd Rankin is to play at Derbyshire this year.
The counties were more than happy to accept Ireland’s request, Torrens said, because they were happier for them to be playing world-class cricket than preparing for the coming season in a more relaxed fashion. But not all the employers were quite as straightforward to organise alternative arrangements for.
\" Kyle McCallan is a schoolteacher so we had to check with the education board that he works for that it was okay for him to stay out here,\" Torrens said. \" David Langford-Smith is a delivery driver for a grass-cutting company in Dublin and fortunately the boss there is a former president of the Irish Cricket Union.
\"
Andre Botha and Paul Mooney also work for a grass-cutting company in North Dubli n. Their boss was out here and he’s a very keen supporter of Irish cricket so overall there were about six bosses we had to confirm with.
\"
Kenny Carroll gave up his job as a postman in October to play cricket.
“He has been at home for about three weeks in the last six months. Our opening batsman William Porterfield has taken a year out after just graduating from his studies .\"
Captain Trent Johnston works as a salesman for a textile company whose managing director Angus Dunlop captained Ireland, so again it was not a huge challenge to gain the time off. The Irish Cricket Union are paying their salaries while they take the extended leave. For those who are married with family, some wives were out in Jamaica and some are staying on. Their accommodation is being met by the ICU though they must pay for their own flights.
Whatever the added financial burden and staff shortages, most employers are happy with the success of the team in a sport where Ireland are still regarded as small fry .
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....
"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"
