Kerala Tourism announces new schedule for Champions Boat League
The Champions Boat League (CBL), the country’s first-ever boat racing patterned on Indian Premier League (IPL) format, has gone cricket’s plum league’s way in naming the participating teams.
Taking a cue from the Royal Challengers, Kings XI, Sunrisers, and Daredevils that became popular among cricket fans, the CBL authorities have rechristened the nine participating popular boat clubs of Kerala to ensure a pan-India appeal and garner a fan following.
Tropical Titans is the new name of the Pallathuruthi Boat Club, Backwater Knights has gone to Village Boat Club, Backwater Ninja (Brothers Boat Club), Backwater Warriors (Town Boat Club), Coast Dominators (United Boat Club), Mighty Oars (NCDC), Pride Chasers (Vembanad Boat Club), while Police Boat Club has been renamed as Raging Rowers and KBC/SFBC as Thunder Oars.
Kerala Tourism on Wednesday announced that the rescheduled CBL will commence on August 31 with Nehru Trophy Boat Race and would end on November 23 on the sidelines of the President’s Trophy at Kollam.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will flag off the event at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha in the presence of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
A purse of ₹5.9 crore, the fourth highest for all sports in the country, awaits the winners of the 12 league boat races.
Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran announced the new schedule of the ticketed CBL’s snake-boat races: September 7 (Thazhathangadi, Kottayam), September 14 (Karuvatta, Alappuzha), September 28 (Piravam, Ernakulam), October 5 (Marine Drive, Kochi), October 12 (Kottappuram, Thrissur), October 19 (Ponnani, Malappuram), October 26 (Kainakari, Alappuzha), November 2 (Pulinkunnu, Alappuzha district), November 9 (Kayamkulam, Alappuzha), November 16 (Kallada, Kollam), and November 23 (President’s Trophy Boat Race, Kollam).
The government has formed a company, CBL Limited, for the event. Tickets can be booked online through ‘Book My Show’ platform. Around 20 counters are being set up in all the venues for spot purchase of tickets, priced between ₹100 and ₹3,000.
The races, being held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., will be broadcast live. Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Asianet Worldwide, Asianet Plus, Hotstar, ETV Andhra Pradesh and ETV Telangana will beam the event for an hour from 4 p.m.
