ESPN StarSports to telecast Kolkata football

MUMBAI: With Durga Puja falling in the month of September, it is celebration time in Kolkata. And for soccer-crazy fans of that city and Indian football fans, there will be reason for more celebrations. Three Derby matches of the Kolkata Super Six league and the semi-finals and final of the IFA Shield will be telecast live.
Sources at ESPN StarSports confirmed with Times News Network that officials of the West Bengal football body — the Indian Football Association, are in the final stages of signing a deal with the television company to telecast three key matches of the Kolkata Super Six League and the semi-finals and final of the IFA Shield.
The Super Six matches to be telecast live involve the big three teams — Asean champs East Bengal, former NFL champs Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting and the tentative dates are September 6, 8 and 11. The semifinals of the IFA Shield are scheduled for September 27 and 28 with the final fixed for 30th September.
However it has not yet been finalised as to whether the matches will be shown on StarSports or ESPN.
According to industry sources, the time is just perfect for a sports channel to get into Indian football, especially Kolkata football. The excitement and interest in the game is at an all-time high after East Bengal''s splendid success at the Asean Cup at Jakarta. And with the Puja festival also falling during that period a lot of sponsors, especially consumer goods companies have shown interest in associating themselves with the tournament.
Even though IFA and the sports channel got into a contract in 1996-97, this is the first time the Kolkata league matches will be telecast live. Earlier,in the first year of the contract the sports channel used to show highlights of the league matches.