MUMBAI: Reality show fever still continues to be the flavour of the season. Even sports is not spared. IMG, the sports, lifestyle and entertainment management and marketing company, has associated with Hindi news channel - Channel7 to bring a reality hunt show Scorpio Speedster on tube.
Targeting an October-November launch, Scorpio Speedster will hunt for the seven fastest blowers. Though IMG had been conducting the hunt since 2003, this is the first time that IMG is taking Scorpio Speedster to television as a full-fledged reality show. In the last two years, ESPN Star Sports used to telecast vignettes of the contest.
Speaking about the association with IMG, Channel7 director Siddhartha Gupta says, "When we came across IMG and their concept of this search for India's fastest bowler, we decided to create India's reality cricket show. The idea now is not just to find who can bowl the fastest delivery in the nation, but to give India a true speed demon, a potential cricketing icon, a complete fast bowler."
Out of 22 contenders, the top seven speedsters would form the final contenders for the title. The show will be hosted by Ajay Jadeja in the company of other experts. The seven bowlers would be showcased through 13 episodes on Channel7.
The regional rounds will be conducted for two days in each of the 10 cities and two winner from each cities will be selected. The 20 city contenders will compete with the winners and the runners-up of the 2003 and 2004 edition of Scorpio Speedster, says an official release.
IMG/TWI South Asia managing director Ravi Krishnan says: "IMG is proud to announce the third edition of this successful event as the official broadcaster Channel7, who, with their exciting reality show, will add a fresh dimension to the contest."
Mahindra & Mahindra will be the official sponsor of the show while Canditi Foods will be the presenting sponsor. The co-sponsors are adidas and Domino's Pizza. The Scorpio Speedster contest hopes to give that unrecognised talent a platform to achieve national, and ultimately, international recognition.
Channel7 chief operating officer Piyush Jain adds, "The event aims to bring out the best of Indian bowlers and will be well groomed through the seasons at MRF Pace Foundation along with a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs."
The hunt will commence in Delhi on 17 September and then move on to Chandigarh on 22 September, Jaipur (27 September), Gwalior (4 October), Lucknow (8 October), Hyderabad (15 October), Bangalore (21 October), Kolkatta (29 October), Ahmedabad (5 November), and Mumbai (11 November ).
The semi-finalists will test their speed against each other at Mumbai in their attempt to qualify as the final seven contenders for the reality show on Channel7.
