MUMBAI: The second season of World Series Hockey (WSH) organised by Nimbus Sport and IHF will have seven teams as the two teams from Punjab have decided to merge. 

The Chandigarh Comets and Sher-e-Punjab have united into one Punjab team.

The second edition starts in December 2012. The aim of one team from Punjab is so that loyalties in that big hockey market are not divided. There will now be 45 matches as opposed to 59 matches in the first season.

MUMBAI: Following the successful conduct of the first season of World Series Hockey, Nimbus and Indian Hockey Federation have announced the dates for the second season. The world?s biggest hockey league will be played from 15 December to 20 January 2013.

Nimbus Sport COO Yannick Colaco said, "We are delighted to announce the dates of World Series Hockey Season 2. Season 1 was a resounding success for all the stakeholders - players, commercial partners, franchise owners and above all the hockey fans."

IHF president R K Shetty said, "World Series Hockey has clearly emerged as the biggest hockey league in the world and the second biggest sports league in India after IPL. The second season will be bigger and better. We will shortly announce a host of new initiatives along with the format and schedule."

According to Nimbus, the inaugural season of World Series Hockey reached viewers in over 30 countries on television and over 65 countries on YouTube. The unique television tune-ins in India was over 32 million.

The five week long inaugural tournament created unprecedented buzz in terms of daily prime time action on television and record fan walk-ins in the stadium. An aggressive 360-degree marketing campaign and extensive media coverage resulted in high awareness and consumption of WSH.

MUMBAI: In a move that is not surprising Hockey India plans to launch a franchise based league in January 2013. The FIH hockey?s governing body has given the event a window.

This is the second hockey league following the inaugural edition of Nimbus Sport?s and IHF?s World Series Hockey (WSH) which was held earlier this year.

The tournament will have six franchises.12 cities have been shortlisted. The players will be bought by the franchises in an IPL style auction in September.

Hockey India secretary general Narinder Batra has said that the FIH has given clearance for one month next year during which no international event will be held. "This has been done so that top players like Jamie Dwyer, Teun de Nooijer are free from any international engagements." He also says that interest has been expressed by groups in owning a team.

Each franchise will have a budget of Rs.30 million to form a 24- member squad, comprising 10 overseas and 14 domestic players who will be bought in the earlier mentioned auction.

The question is whether the sport can support two leagues. This move is very much reminiscent of the BCCI launching the IPL in 2008 to counter Zee?s ICL.

MUMBAI: Sportspersons including those from abroad taking part in leagues like World Series Hockey (WSH) and the IPL will have to pay service tax.

The government is going to levy a 12 per cent service tax on all domestic and foreign players participating in the IPL or other sports event, which are not the recognised format of the game.

The budget proposal for 2012-13 reads: "Income arising to a non-citizen, non-resident entertainer (such as theatre, radio or television artists and musicians) from performance in India shall be taxable at the rate of 20 per cent of gross receipts."

MUMBAI: World Series Hockey (WSH), the initiative by Nimbus Sport and IHF which kicks off today, faces a potentially difficult task of getting in good viewership. That is because national players who were part of the Olympic Qualifiers will probably not take part.

Hockey India (HI) is holding a camp in Bangalore in preparation of the Olympics from 6 March. It has named a list of 48 probables for the camp. Reports indicate that players are putting the country over the league when deciding which way to go.

FIH president Leandro Negre had earlier urged HI and the IHF to join forces. He had said that while players can take part in WSH, it is an unsanctioned event. At the same time, WSH does have international players like Brent Livermore as well as local players taking part.

GroupM ESP managing partner Hiren Pandit said that the situation would create an unnecessary controversy and it would be better if the two bodies resolved their differences. "Viewership would be impacted if players who were part of the Olympic Qualifiers do not take part in WSH," he said. That is because national players who were part of the Olympic Qualifiers will probably not take part.

Hockey India (HI) is holding a camp in Bangalore in preparation of the Olympics from 6 March. It has named a list of 48 probables for the camp. Reports indicate that players are putting the country over the league when deciding which way to go.

FIH president Leandro Negre had earlier urged HI and the IHF to join forces. He had said that while players can take part in WSH, it is an unsanctioned event. At the same time, WSH does have international players like Brent Livermore as well as local players taking part.

GroupM ESP managing partner Hiren Pandit said that the situation would create an unnecessary controversy and it would be better if the two bodies resolved their differences. "Viewership would be impacted if players who were part of the Olympic Qualifiers do not take part in WSH," he said.

MUMBAI: India?s leading event management firm Wizcraft has been appointed to conceptualise and produce the opening ceremony for the Bridgestone World Series Hockey in Chandigarh on 29 February.

Wizcraft has organised the opening ceremonies of mega sports events like the 2011 World Cup, IPL and 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The opening ceremony will feature Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan, singer Mika, performer Neha Dhupia, ?Rockstar? singer Harshdeep Kaur, and many others.

Bollywood superstar Saif Ali Khan said, "I look forward to being a part of the opening ceremony of World Series Hockey. The association of Agent Vinod with this action-packed event was more of an emotional reason as my grandfather, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, represented India in hockey. Our national sport has been ignored for a while and an initiative like this will ensure the sport is given its due attention and will resonate well with the youth of India.?

Nimbus Sport COO Yannick Colaco said, ?We have put together a star-studded opening ceremony to match the scale of any global sporting event. This is a first for Hockey in India and the grand opening will be a perfect cocktail of unmatched entertainment and top drawer sporting action. Wizcraft has extensive experience in putting together international acts and has worked on the ICC World Cup and IPL. We are going to dazzle the audience in the stadium and viewers across the world with a spectacular opening ceremony.?

Wizcraft International Director Sabbas Joseph said, ?This is just the boost Hockey required and I am glad Wizcraft will play an important role in launching a landmark sporting property like WSH.?

The Bridgestone World Series Hockey will be held from 29 February to 2 April.

The eight venues for the inaugural edition of the league are Bangalore, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Jalandhar, Mumbai and Pune. Chandigarh Comets will face-off against Bhopal Badshahs in the first tie of the tournament on their home ground.