Kerala   

Cashing in on football fever

Dine and watch your football stars live on screens. The technique of marketing Ronaldinhos, Zidanes and Beckhams is working favourably for restaurants in Kozhiode city.

Most of the hotels in the city are cashing in on the World Cup fever. Arrangements have been made for customers to watch the games live and eat too.

"We have installed a new television set on the Malabar Deck, a favourite joint for many," says Vipin Das, front office manager of Fortune Hotel.

"A sponsored plasma set is also being put up at the restaurant for families," says Tejinder Singh, manager (Sales and Marketing), Fortune Hotel.

Taj Residency is celebrating the World Cup like never before. Promos of soccer idols are seen in the lounge, coffee shops and even on the aisles. It has roped in a television company to sponsor plasma set at its coffee shop. Not satisfied with the giant screen, the hotel has installed television sets in all vantage points. "We are providing midnight snacks to our visitors. The chef has even named a few dishes after some of stars to instil the spirit of the game," says Janaki Gopal, sales manager of Taj Residency."Of course, we know the obsession of the people for football in Kozhikode. Our joints are open till 11 p.m. But we do keep the restaurants open for the games even after midnight," says Mr. Singh.

Watching strikers and defenders dribble and tackle is not confined to just hotels.

A cinema hall in Meenchanda has stopped screening of films and instead is beaming live coverage of games through a liquid crystal display (LCD) projector. Big screen and better sound quality can give the viewer a feeling of being in the stadium. Viewers also need not be fear of inclement weather during the monsoon. The owners are charging the exact ticket rate charged for a film. On the first day on Sunday, at least 50 people arrived to view the match. But the numbers began to swell on the subsequent days and is going to be increasing in the coming days, they say.

BIJU GOVIND

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