Singapore, 15 April 2011 – Internationally acclaimed Tiger Beer is set to change the street football scene in Singapore when the first-ever Tiger Street Football regional tournament kicks off from 16 to 17 April 2011. The competition is organised with the goal of elevating the level of play and passion for football on the streets of Singapore, as well as in China, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam – countries that will host subsequent legs of the inaugural competition this year.
Set to take place within the specially-constructed Tiger Football Stadium at Ngee Ann City in the heart of the shopping district, Tiger Street Football will showcase for the first time, a distinctive football pitch and competition format. A carnival atmosphere will be created, to provide a unique and new experience for the public and football fans, centered on football, fun, friends and beer. It is non-stop Street Football action during the day and Tiger Football Stadium action in the evening till late.
The unique oval, caged, hard-court pitch with no side-lines and a dynamic, continuous state of play provides a refreshing platform for players aged between 18 to 34 years old to showcase their talent. It also rewards spectators with non-stop action. Compared with traditional football and street football formats, the 5-a-side knock-out competition, promotes a shorter, high-energy game of two 6-minute halves with a 2-minute halftime period. The tournament is organized in partnership with ESPN STAR Sports’ Event Management arm, with its rich experience in organizing large-scale sporting events across the region. In addition, Tiger Street Football will also be broadcast live across ESPN STAR Sports networks with its reach of over 300 million viewers in Asia.
Said Wong Mei Wai, Head of Marketing, Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore, “Tiger Street Football affirms Tiger’s commitment towards creating unforgettable experiences for fans here in Singapore and around the world. This year, Tiger Football presents the inaugural Tiger Street Football tournament kicking-off in Singapore and the successful Tiger Football Stadium where football fans enjoy beer and have fun with their friends at the BPL viewing. This will be an excellent opportunity for fans here to participate in and witness a new and exciting dimension to the sport. At the same time, fans will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the event and be a part of the fun-filled weekend.”
Added Mr. Harvey Davis, ESPN STAR Sports Vice President, Event Management, “We’re delighted to collaborate with Asia Pacific Breweries to stage this exciting tournament across the region and we’re committed to offer our expertise to create an event that brings Tiger Beer’s vibrant brand image alive on-ground and on our networks. This will certainly be a visual treat for football fans and aspiring players with so many prominent teams competing, and we look forward to delivering another marquee event”.
Tiger Street Football Format
The tournament in Singapore will feature 32 local teams battling it out on the first day for cash prizes of USD2,000 and USD600 awarded to the first and second placed teams respectively, along with a supply of Tiger Beer. 24 of the 32 teams will be pre-picked by ESPN STAR Sports, according to standings of local leagues and local tournament results.
The remaining eight slots will be voted in by the public. Teams will have to register themselves at [www.tigerstreetfootball.com.sg] first before the public can vote on the website for their favourite teams to participate. The public voting mechanism has been created to generate interaction and involvement with the public who might be keen on participating.
The champions on Saturday will automatically qualify for the Grand Finals to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September. The top two local teams from Saturday’s competition will get the opportunity to play against international teams, including players from England, Brazil, and Vietnam on Sunday for a chance to win additional cash prizes.
To ensure fair play, the Tiger Street Football tournament will be refereed by professionals from the Football Association of Singapore who have undergone the necessary training and hold relevant experience in overseeing 11-a-side as well as futsal matches.
Tiger Football Stadium activities – creating unique Tiger Football experiences
Riding on the back of the last highly successful Tiger Football Stadium, Tiger Beer brings yet again, a new experience to the football fans of Singapore. Over the tournament weekend in Singapore, the Tiger Football Stadium will present numerous activities for the public to get involved. It will include Interactive Zones with games such as Human Foosball and Darts Live as well as grandstand seating, for fans and spectators to catch the fast-paced football action.
Following the first day of competition on Saturday, 16 April 2011, the Tiger Football Stadium will come alive with a host of music and entertainment performances as well as Tiger Beer in a beer garden setting. Dharni, currently ranked the 5th top beatboxer in the world, will entertain the crowd with his unique skills and talent. Dharni has world acclaim, having been the opening act for artists the likes of Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West and Lady Gaga. Another headline act for the evening is Jack & Rai will take to the stage, with their unique brand of music. This will be followed by a ‘live’ screening of the Barclays Premier League (BPL) match between West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea at 11:00pm on a giant screen.
Additionally, television personality and football pundit Patrick Kinghorn will emcee the event and provide pre-match, half-time and post-match analysis.
Tiger Season Ticket holders will get a chance to win promotional giveaways at the Tiger Football Stadium as well as enjoy premium seating to catch both the street football tournament and the ‘live’ BPL match screened. They will also receive complimentary Tiger Beer during the event to satisfy their thirst. What’s more, Tiger Season Ticket holders traditionally enjoy exclusive drink deals. On top of the VIP treatment they will receive at Tiger Street Football and Tiger Football Stadium, they are also entitled to enjoy exclusive drink deals designed for them from March to May at participating outlets.
The public will also have a chance to sign up to be a Tiger Season Ticket holder at the event. Upon registration at the event, they will immediately enjoy the same privileges accorded to current members.
Tiger Street Football will kick off in Singapore on April 16 – 17 before moving regionally to Bangkok, Thailand (May); Guangzhou, China (July); Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (August) with the culmination of an adrenaline-filled international grand finale in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (September). At the Grand Finals, the top team from each local leg will not only win attractive cash prizes but a chance to fight it out to be the Tiger Street Football Champion and win the coveted top prize of USD30,000.
Completing the entire 360 degree marketing engagement and football experience, Tiger will be launching two new television commercials, to kick off its next Tiger Football engagement. The new commercials bring to life the challenges of playing football on the street in a humorous tongue in cheek way.
For more information, log on to www.TigerStreetFootball.com.sg
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