Indian IT firm HCLTechnologies Ltd. has announced it has reached a partnership with Hockey Victoria to support the newly minted Melbourne Cobras, which is set to become the eighth team participating in the Hockey One League, Australia's premier hockey competition.
As part of the agreement, HCLTech has confirmed it will design and develop a digital fan engagement platform for Hockey Victoria and the Melbourne Cobras, the company confirmed in an exchange filing on Wednesday.
The Indian IT major will also enhance fan engagement for Melbourne Cobras through large-scale digital platforms, which will feature match insights, interactive content and personalisation. This will help fans across India and Australia to stay connected with the team, the company said.
Hockey Victoria is the governing body for hockey in Victoria, Australia and is affiliated with Hockey Australia. It also oversees Melbourne's other hockey team, Hockey Club Melbourne.
While HC Melbourne operates as a traditional team, Melbourne Cobras is an experimental outfit revolving entirely around Indian immigrants in the state of Victoria. This is one of the first attempts in hockey to build a team entirely around immigrants.
Indeed, the Melbourne Cobras will bring together Indian international players alongside leading local talent, withSouth Asians notably being the fastest growing community in Victoria. Indians alone account for nearly half a million population in the state and are expected to touch the one million mark in the next 15-20 years.
Reacting to the development, Sonia Eland, Executive Vice President and Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand, HCLTech, said the move will help hockey growth in both India and Australia.
“We have helped leading sports organisations around the world build strong, scalable fan platforms, and we are excited to bring that experience here to create a more connected fan experience and help grow hockey across Australia and India," he said.
Hockey Victoria also reacted to the development, labelling the launch of Melbourne Cobras as a defining moment for hockey.
“The launch of the Melbourne Cobras represents a defining moment for Hockey Victoria and for the future of our sport. From the outset, our vision was to build a team that reflects the diversity of our community," said Andrew Skillern, Chief Executive Officer of Hockey Victoria.
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