Kathmandu, January 28

Colors Mobile and Sipradi Trading Pvt Ltd today signed the sponsorship deals with Suman Bhomjan Memorial Sports Academy of Makawanpur for the Hetauda International Gold Cup Football Tournament.

Marketing Manager of Colors Mobile Raj Jung Thapa, Head of Passenger Vehicle Business Unit of Sipradi Trading Prabin Khatiwada and Academy President Bhesh Khagdi signed the Memorandum of Understandings for the tournament slated for February 13-20 in Hetauda.

Colors Mobile is the title sponsor of the tournament powered by Tata Sumo Gold of Sipradi Trading.

Colors Mobile will provide the organisers with Rs 400,000, while Sipradi will give Rs 1,5000. Both the sponsors will spend around 500,000 each in branding the tournament, informed Academy vice-president Bishal Ghosh.

A total of eight teams  five ‘A’ division clubs from Kathmandu, one each from India and Bhutan and local team  will compete in the tournament.

Ghosh said almost all the teams had confirmed their participation. “Only Ruslan Three Star Club and Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi are yet to confirm as the dates clashed with Birat Gold Cup,” he said. “If they do not come, we will replace them with other ‘A’ division outfits,” he added.

The winners of the tournament will receive Rs 400,000, while the runners-up will earn Rs 150,000. The best five individuals will receive Rs 10,000 each, while man-of-the-match will receive Colors Mobile set in every game.

Thapa said they were looking to enter football and the tournament was the best platform to begin with. “We have done a lot in volleyball and we wanted to get involved with football,” he said.

Sipradi Trading’s Khatiwada said they contributed in the tournament with the aim of developing Nepali football.

“Argentina star Lionel Messi is the brand ambassador of Tata motors and this is the continuation of our association with football,” he added.

The locals of Hetauda instituted the Academy in memory of sports journalist Suman Bhomjan, who was killed in the devastating April 25 earthquake last year.