The Hindu Business Line : Globosport to help Asian players in finding county cricket opportunities

GLOBOSPORT, the sports management division of Globo Media Solutions, has signed up with athletes1, the world's leading company for playing contracts in cricket.

Under the terms of the agreement, Globosport, a company run by tennis star Mahesh Bhupathy, and the UK-based athletes1 will work together to identify playing opportunities for players from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with a focus on county cricket.

athletes1, which also has links with football, rugby, and boxing, works with a number of international cricketers including Mark Butcher, Michael Bevan and Lance Klusener.

According to Mr Mahesh Bhupathi, Managing Director, Globo Media Solutions, "We set up the playing contracts division because there was a tremendous demand among cricketers in the sub-continent to find playing opportunities, whether club or county, during the off-season. However, there was no professional company in the sub-continent to guide the cricketers and help them find counties and clubs that meet their needs. The association with athletes1 allows us to ensure that the players' interests are well protected and that they have access to the best playing contracts company in the world of cricket."

In a statement from London, the Head - Legal & Management Division of athletes1, Mr David Ligertwood, said, "Cricketers from the Indian sub-continent are in high demand because of their natural flair as well as their ability to draw spectators. However, counties and cricketers have had to struggle with shadowy, informal networks to contact each other. With the agreement between Globosport and athletes1, both the Counties in the UK would know that they can contact athletes1 to access any player in the sub-continent while cricketers in Indian sub-continent know that they finally have a professional company in Globosport to help fulfil their playing needs."

"Globosport's playing contracts division will function independently of our endorsement and event management businesses. We are already in advanced negotiations with four current international cricketers, and will be announcing our first county deal for one of them, within the next two days," said Mr Anirban Das Blah, Vice-President - Talent and New Initiatives.

Globosport's new playing contracts division is also planning to announce a similar tie-up in hockey within the next month.