ESPN STAR Sports Signs On for Football Reality Show

NEW DELHI: ESPN STAR Sports has signed a deal with Media Star Global to produce and air the Indian football reality show Super Soccer Star. 

The multiplatform entertainment property and reality show aims to discover young football talent in association with Chelsea Football Club. ESPN STAR Sports will air the series around the 2010 FIFA World Cup on Saturdays and Sundays over five weekends during the tournament. The series will see 20 contestants, ages 13 to 16, chosen through trials and live events across the country. They will then enter an academy, where after a period of weeks, four finalists will be selected. The finalists will head to London to be evaluated by Chelsea FC. The winner assumes the title of the "Super Soccer Star" of India and receives a training program at Chelsea’s academy in Cobham. Media Star Global holds the Indian license for the property, which is owned by Galleon Holdings.

Stephen Green, the CEO of Galleon Holdings, said, “Super Soccer Star is a global entertainment brand and we are very proud to be working with ESPN STAR Sports and Media Star Global to discover young talent in a market the size of India.”

Manu Sawhney, the managing director of ESPN STAR Sports, commented, "We are delighted to partner Galleon Holdings and Media Star Global for this exciting new football offering. As the leading sports broadcaster, it is our endeavor to work towards enhancing fans’ experience of their favorite sports in multiple ways. Today, we broadcast more than 230 BPL matches live every season and showcase more than 1500 hours of original programming around football in India to supplement our live football content and expand fans’ interaction with their favorite sport beyond the live games."

He added: “We believe that Super Soccer Star will further extend our comprehensive football offering to our viewers and help uncover the budding football talent in India. It will certainly provide an ideal opportunity for young enthusiasts of the sport to showcase their skills on a world famous platform.”

Wasim Haq, the CEO of Media Star Global, commented, “Super Soccer Star is India’s first football reality show. It is a family-oriented program that will appeal to sports fans as well as reality TV junkies. Importantly it is a great platform for young talented footballers with prowess, personality and star quality to get noticed and train with the best! We expect the program to attract strong viewership on ESPN, especially as it will air over weekends, during the FIFA World Cup.”