Surprise No 1: Despite its mostly soaring temperatures, India has a national ice hockey team. Surprise No 2: the squad has been regularly participating in international tournaments for more than six years. What isn't surprising, though, is the fact that the team ‒ like many other non-cricket sports in India ‒ is facing a money crunch before an important international tournament.
This has forced the squad to go online to solicit donations so that it can travel to Kuwait to take part in the Asia division leg of the International Ice Hockey Federation Challenge Cup, which starts on April 18. The players in the squad have already contributed Rs 20,000 each but the team needs to raise Rs 12 lakhs more to make it to the tournament. They have been urging supporters to donate anything from Rs 100 up to Rs 1 lakh.
So far, though, only about Rs 62,000 have been raised from 39 donations.
The team has been unsuccessful in securing sponsorships. "We have tried, but have been completely unsuccessful in getting any corporate sponsorship. Right now we are targeting HNIs [high net-worth individuals] and angel investors," Akshay Kumar, director of the Ice Hockey Association of India told the Economic Times.
Tweet to the rescue
As the date of the tournament approaches, the association has been trying to gather support on Twitter. “Yesterday, the hashtag #SupportIceHockey was trending nationwide and many people noticed us,” Vedank Singh, the Ice Hockey Association of India's digital marketing lead, said on Sunday.
Singh further added that many influential people have come forward to support but the team is still awaiting its first sponsorship contract. “Even [businessman] Anand Mahindra called us up and assured of support after he noticed the tweets,” Singh said. “We are hopeful that he would contribute as we are still short by more than Rs. 3 lakh.”
Even though the sport has a relatively small following, ice hockey is played enthusiastically in cold places such as Shimla and Ladakh. The sport came to India during British colonial rule and has been nurtured by the Indian army.
Today, much of the team is composed of army personnel and members of the Indo-Tibetan border police, along with a smattering of students. They are currently training in the skating rink of the Ambience Mall in Gurgaon. The facility is only one-fourth the size of an Olympic ice-hockey surface but it is the best option available to the Indian team.
“We had to start the funding process because nobody noticed us,” Singh said. "Popular games like cricket take away all the limelight and glory.”
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This has forced the squad to go online to solicit donations so that it can travel to Kuwait to take part in the Asia division leg of the International Ice Hockey Federation Challenge Cup, which starts on April 18. The players in the squad have already contributed Rs 20,000 each but the team needs to raise Rs 12 lakhs more to make it to the tournament. They have been urging supporters to donate anything from Rs 100 up to Rs 1 lakh.
Please support our Ice Hockey team travelling to Kuwait. We need to raise funds for the team. A 20k donation will cover costs for 1 player.
— Ice Hockey India (@icehockeyindia) March 5, 2015So far, though, only about Rs 62,000 have been raised from 39 donations.
The team has been unsuccessful in securing sponsorships. "We have tried, but have been completely unsuccessful in getting any corporate sponsorship. Right now we are targeting HNIs [high net-worth individuals] and angel investors," Akshay Kumar, director of the Ice Hockey Association of India told the Economic Times.
We demand our share of love, because be it Cricket or Ice Hockey,The association of tricolor shall be respected everywhere #SupportIceHockey
— Ice Hockey India (@icehockeyindia) April 3, 2015It is so tough to push sports like Ice Hockey when cricket takes up all sponsor budgets. We have a national team and are begging for money.
— Ice Hockey India (@icehockeyindia) March 5, 2015Tweet to the rescue
As the date of the tournament approaches, the association has been trying to gather support on Twitter. “Yesterday, the hashtag #SupportIceHockey was trending nationwide and many people noticed us,” Vedank Singh, the Ice Hockey Association of India's digital marketing lead, said on Sunday.
Yes, looking into it.. “@chikkigarg: Sir pls donate funds to Indian Ice Hockey Team.They are short of to enter the qualifying match.”
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) April 5, 2015Singh further added that many influential people have come forward to support but the team is still awaiting its first sponsorship contract. “Even [businessman] Anand Mahindra called us up and assured of support after he noticed the tweets,” Singh said. “We are hopeful that he would contribute as we are still short by more than Rs. 3 lakh.”
Even though the sport has a relatively small following, ice hockey is played enthusiastically in cold places such as Shimla and Ladakh. The sport came to India during British colonial rule and has been nurtured by the Indian army.
#Supporticehockey India's ice hockey comprises of players mostly from Ladakh, it is an active sport there in winters. pic.twitter.com/k4bVDy68co
— Shubham Mansingka (@travelshoebum) April 4, 2015Today, much of the team is composed of army personnel and members of the Indo-Tibetan border police, along with a smattering of students. They are currently training in the skating rink of the Ambience Mall in Gurgaon. The facility is only one-fourth the size of an Olympic ice-hockey surface but it is the best option available to the Indian team.
“We had to start the funding process because nobody noticed us,” Singh said. "Popular games like cricket take away all the limelight and glory.”