India and Australia compete for the Future Cup in seven ODI match series

Bangalore, September 28, 2007: The Captains of the two teams along with Rakesh Biyani, CEO, Future Retail, today unveiled the ‘Future Cup’ for the upcoming India-Australia 7 match 1 day series, starting in Bangalore from September 29, 2007.

As the title partner for the cricket series Future Group will be associated with the development, branding and promotion of the game to be played between the two World Champions – One Day International Champion Australia and the recently crowned World Twenty20 Champions, India. The matches will be played in Bangalore, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Vadodara, Nagpur and Mumbai.

Said Mr. Rakesh Biyani, CEO, Future Retail, “The Future Cup is a measure of our commitment towards sports in general and cricket in particular. We see ourselves supporting sports in the long term not just through similar sponsorships, but also through our chain of Planet Sports retail outlets.”

Cricket is a passion that binds every Indian together. It is also one of the most powerful communication platforms for brands and companies.”

• September 29th, Saturday At Bangalore (Day & Night Match)
• October 2nd, Tuesday At Kochi
• October 5th, Friday At Hyderabad
• October 8th, Monday At Chandigarh
• October 11th, Thursday At Baroda
• October 14th, Wednesday At Nagpur
• October 17th, Wednesday At Mumbau (Day & Night Match)
  

About Future Group

Future Group is the country’s leading business group that caters to the entire Indian consumption space. It operates through six verticals: Future Retail (encompassing all lines of retail business), Future Capital (financial products and services), Future Brands (all brands owned or managed by group companies), Future Space (management of retail real estate), Future Logistics (management of supply chain and distribution) and Future Media (development and management of retail media spaces).

The group’s flagship company, Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited operates over 5 million square feet through 400 stores in 40 cities. Some of its leading retail formats include, Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Central, Food Bazaar, Home Town, EZone, Depot, Health & Beauty Malls and online retail format, futurebazaar.com.

Future Group companies include, Indus League Clothing, that owns and retails brands like Indigo Nation and Scullers and Galaxy Entertainment that manages Sports Bar, Brew Bar and Bowling Co. Future Capital Holdings, the group’s financial arm, focusses on asset management and consumer credit. It manages assets worth over $1 billion that are being invested in developing retail real estate and consumer-related brands and hotels.

The group’s joint venture partners include Italian insurance major, Generali, US-based stationary products retailer, Staples and UK-based Lee Cooper and India-based Talwalkar’s, Blue Foods and Liberty Shoes.

Future Group’s vision is to, “deliver Everything, Everywhere, Everytime to Every Indian Consumer in the most profitable manner.” The group considers ‘Indian-ness’ as a core value and its corporate credo is - Rewrite rules, Retain values.

For further information please contact
Mr. Atul Takle
Head - Corporate Communications
Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited
Email: mediarelations@futuregroup.in
Website: www.pantaloonretail.in