La Liga celebrates five years with launch of Extra Time India as Garden City braces up for El Grand Derbi

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Bengaluru, February 25: To commemorate five years of its operational existence in India, La Liga, launched LaLiga Extra Time India and an upcoming fan screening for the highly anticipated El Gran Derbi (Sevilla FC vs Real Betis) fixture in the Garden City.

It is worth remembering that La Liga opened its India office in February 2017 and to mark the milestone moment, the LaLiga Extra Time India was launched on Friday (February 25) at the ITC Gardenia in Bengaluru in the presence of its key partners and stakeholders including -- Amit Prabhu, Executive Director & Chief Financial Officer, PUMA India, Arushi Awasthi, Director - Brand Communications, Hero Vired and Sai Krishna Pulluru, Director, Anantapur Sports Academy.

The event involved a panel discussion on the work La Liga does with its partners in the country, the impact of joint initiatives and plans for the coming years for this country.

The El Gran Derbi Watch Party, which is scheduled to be held on Sunday (February 27), will be among the first public fan viewings La Liga is going to conduct since the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Organised keeping all safety protocols at the forefront, it will involve engagement activities like contests and games for the 100 plus fans who will earn their spot by participating in digital contests on La Liga's social media handles, also on La Liga's broadcaster MTV and Voot Select's social media platforms.

Speaking about the events, LaLiga India Managing Director Jose Antonio Cachaza, said, "We came to India five years ago recognising the zeal this country has for football, and several times in the time since then, the fans here have surprised us by surpassing our expectations. It has been a delight to work with our international and local partners to create something special for our fans and football enthusiasts in the country. The coming years hold a lot in the bag for India when it comes to football and we're excited to be a part of the journey."

Amit echoed Cachaza's sentiments, "We've been working with La Liga globally and in India for three years now. The result of this partnership has been nothing short of phenomenal. Our shared vision for the growth and development of football in the country has helped us achieve reach, expand accessibility and cemented our commitment towards the overall sporting ecosystem. We'll continue to drive the football culture and conversation in India."

Arushi dwelled further, "La Liga has built a monumental connection with football fans in the country and we are excited about our association with them. As the official knowledge partner of La Liga in India, we at Hero Vired want to integrate the best of both worlds - education and sports. At Hero Vired, we're constantly working towards creating opportunities and bringing in best-in-class experiences for our learners with such partnerships."

La Liga established local presence in India five years ago in order to strengthen the connection with existing fans and increase accessibility for newer fans. During this period, it has expanded the fan base, grown social audience, established grassroots programmes and built strong relations with leading Indian companies like BKT, Dream11 and HeroVired.

Other landmark initiatives include signing the Indian men's cricket team captain, Rohit Sharma as La Liga's first-ever Brand Ambassador in India, brining Girona FC to play matches in India and organising events with several La Liga Legends visiting.