Kolkata: Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar is busy promoting sports using his own brand value. Now after buying Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL), The God of Cricket has his eyes set on badminton.
According to PTI, Tendulkar has become the co-owner of Premier Badminton League (PBL) franchise Bengaluru Blasters along with film star Chiranjeevi. “Badminton is the epitome of fitness, flexibility, agility and skill and its adoption will contribute to India s path to fitness. I m excited to be part of Bengaluru Blasters team and wish them the very best for the upcoming season,” Tendulkar said.
“Sachin, Chiranjeevi, Akkineni Nagarjuna and Allu Aravind, besides myself – we all of us have formed a consortium and invested in Bengaluru Blasters,” Bengaluru Blasters Co-Owner and industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad was quoted by the news agency.
“For now we will not disclose the breakup of investments made by the members of the consortium, but would disclose it at an opportune time,” Prasad said. And he added that the investors had purchased the team keeping in mind the risk factors and with a desire to raise the standards of the sport in India. “When it comes to sport, every entrepreneur faces this challenge. Let me tell you, sir, this is not a venture for making profits, but to raise the standards of badminton in India,” Prasad said.
On Tendulkar, badminton coach Pullela Gopichand is of the view that his presence would boost the morale of players and bring in more spectators. Brand Tendulkar is still a force to reckon with and with the Master Blaster stepping into the badminton court, BPL is going to get a big boost. The likes of PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal would be aware that Tendulkar has a stake and hopefully, Indians will get their due and not be at the receiving end.