Finals – Saturday, August 25, 2012, 7:30pm

(3) Pune vs (4) Delhi – Pune won 6-0

The finals of the first EFLI season in Sri Lanka are here! Also, Ten Sports has acquired global broadcast rights for the EFLI until 2016, showing about 370 games over the next five years. Each year consists of two seasons commencing in July and November respectively. Ten Sports will start showing the games on television starting in September (I mentioned in a previous post that it is probably a tape delay of the season that is wrapping up right now).

Also, check out this article from The Island newspaper. Great insight on the first season of the EFLI, especially from some of the star players of the league. Congratulations to Roshan Lobo, running back of the Bangalore Warhawks, for winning the 2012 EFLI MVP. Can’t wait to finally see these games in September!

UPDATE: Congratulations to the Pune Marathas for winning the first Elite Bowl of the first EFLI season! The score was 6-0; click here for photos of the game on ThePapare.com’s facebook page.

QB Dinesh Kumar accepting the trophy

Winners of the first ever Elite Bowl

1 million rupees! (roughly $18,000 USD)

Check out this awesome promo video:

Also got an email today that the EFLI Announces Exclusive Worldwide Pact with TOPKAT Global. So it looks like merchandise is coming soon. Also:

Games will be televised beginning September 15th on Ten Sports, the top rated sports channel in India and the entire sub-continent region. The EFLI is proud to have signed an agreement with Ten Sports to televise 33 games in its first season including Saturday and Sunday games as well as 13 Monday Night Football games. Ten Sports channels are the most watched sports channel by far across the sub-continent.

Therefore September 15 is the day that we will finally be able to see the games on television (and hopefully internet stream). I am assuming that the games will be a tape delay of the season that is just about to finish, and that November is the month in which a “real regular season” will start. Stay tuned for confirmation of this.

Also, check out this great interview with EFLI co-founder Sunday Zeller.

Semi-finals – Sunday, August 19, 2012

The semi-finals of the season are here. The top four teams were seeded without any regard to divisions, so our standings page has been updated to reflect that. Should be a couple of good matches, with top-seeded Bangalore going up against Delhi for the first time (they did not play on August 5), and Colombo and Pune playing an immediate rematch of their game on Wednesday.

5pm: (1) Bangalore vs (4) Delhi – Delhi won 22-14

7pm: (2) Colombo vs (3) Pune – Pune won 21-7

UPDATE 8/20/12 11:50am EDT: Results are in and are reflected above. Click on the links above for photos from each match from ThePapare.com‘s Facebook page.

Delhi Defenders killing it BRADY @ Sugathadasa Stadium http://t.co/VqF34rCy

— Evan Rosenfeld (@evansss) August 19, 2012

jennamoshell sunset over the #bigsu #efli

jennamoshell Semi-finals! #efli #bigsu

Delhi beat Bangalore in their first match up of the season and Pune got revenge on Colombo in their immediate rematch. The matches were upsets as the lower seed beat the higher seed in both cases. The finals on Saturday, August 25 will therefore be:

(3) Pune vs (4) Delhi

See you then!

Week 7 – Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The “final week” of the “regular season” is here – the key matchup being powerhouses Colombo and Pune going up against each other (possible finals preview?). The semi-finals will be on August 19 and the finals will be on August 25. I am assuming the few games that were not played will not be made up.

UPDATE 8/15/12, 7:49pm EDT: Results and photos are in and it looks like Colombo won the clash of the titans vs Pune 9-6. Also, Delhi’s win over Mumbai put them into the playoffs. Click on the links for photos from each match from ThePapare.com‘s Facebook page:

Kolkata vs Bangalore – Bangalore won 22-0

Mumbai vs Delhi – Delhi won 12-7

Kandy vs Pakistan – Kandy won 27-6

Colombo vs Pune – Colombo won 9-6

jennamoshell welcome to the #bigsu #efli

Pune Marathas under the EFLI lights http://t.co/RoN2JHBo http://t.co/z7nCKtlY

— EFLI (@EFLIFootball) August 16, 2012

Week 6 – Sunday, August 12, 2012

Week 6 results are in. Click on the links for photos from each match from ThePapare.com‘s Facebook page:

Colombo vs Pakistan – not played

Mumbai vs Bangalore – Bangalore won 16-0

Kandy vs Pune – Pune won 19-0

Kolkata vs Delhi – Delhi won 7-0

All games played were shutouts. I do not believe Colombo vs Pakistan was played as ThePapare does not have any photos from the match and I can’t find any results.

Crazy sky for Mumbai v Bangalore @ Sugathadasa Stadium http://t.co/4tpgWYyt

— Evan Rosenfeld (@evansss) August 13, 2012

Nice formation Bangalore @ Sugathadasa Stadium http://t.co/ix2JbRmH

— Evan Rosenfeld (@evansss) August 13, 2012

jennamoshell sunset over the #bigsu

Week 5 – Thursday, August 9, 2012

“Week 5” is upon us and the players should be well-rested as all of the teams except for Colombo and Kandy have not played since August 2 (the other six teams did not play on August 5 due to injuries). Click on the links for photos from each match from ThePapare.com‘s Facebook page:

Mumbai vs Pune – Mumbai won 13-6

Kolkata vs Pakistan – Pakistan won 14-3

Kandy vs Bangalore – Bangalore won 13-7

Colombo vs Delhi – Colombo won 10-6

We should have some good matchups this week. First, at 1pm is Mumbai vs Pune, a rematch of the first scrimmage that was played on March 29. At 3pm, one team will come away with their first win of the season as last place teams Kolkata and Pakistan go head to head. At 6pm, fan favorite Kandy goes up against formidable Bangalore. And at 8pm, Colombo and Delhi battle it out for 1st place in the East Division.

Update @ 8/10/12 6:05pm EDT: Results are in and scores and photos have been added above. All low-scoring close defensive battles this week. Mumbai upset Pune in their rematch, Kolkata remains the only winless team, fan favorite Kandy goes down again, and Colombo rides a winning streak to the top of the East Division.

The standings positions remain the same after the end of Week 5. In the West Division, Pune and Bangalore are tied for 1st at 3-1 overall with Pune owning the tiebreaker with their head-to-head victory in Week 3. Mumbai is close behind at 2-2, and is actually 2-0 against division opponents. Pakistan is last in the division at 1-3 but finally won their first game.

In the East Division, Colombo is on fire at 4-1 overall (the best record in the league, replacing Pune) and 3-0 against division opponents. Delhi and Kandy are neck and neck at 2-2 and 2-3 respectively. Finally, Kolkata is dead last and still seeking their first win with a 0-4 record.

The Pakistan Wolfpack after the game http://t.co/STUdsPwI http://t.co/3Srcfshs

— EFLI (@EFLIFootball) August 10, 2012

Colombo Lions regroup during a timeout http://t.co/Hv2jKZkp http://t.co/sO40Zogu

— EFLI (@EFLIFootball) August 10, 2012

Happy of the Delhi Defenders listens to his coach at halftime of game vs Colombo http://t.co/JM9INifO http://t.co/Hc4Wepnl

— EFLI (@EFLIFootball) August 10, 2012

Week 4 – August 5, 2012

Click on the links for photos from each match from ThePapare.com‘s Facebook page:

Mumbai Gladiators vs Kolkata Vipers – not played due to player injuries

Delhi Defenders vs Bangalore Warhawks – not played due to player injuries

Colombo Lions vs Kandy Skykings – Colombo won 13-0

Pune Marathas vs Pakistan Wolfpak – not played due to player injuries

UPDATE 8/7/12, 10:17am EDT: I have been told that only one match (Colombo vs. Kandy) was played on Sunday due to player injuries. The schedule did seem pretty taxing (a game every 3-5 days) and I’m not sure how many players are on each roster, but I’m assuming the next games will be played on Thursday, August 9, hopefully with the players more rested.

Week 3 – August 2, 2012

“Week 3” is here, and here’s what the schedule looks like. Will update as the day goes on. Click on the links for photos from each match from ThePapare.com‘s Facebook page:

Pune Marathas vs Bangalore Warhawks – Pune won 10-7

Colombo Lions vs Kolkata Vipers – Colombo won 20-6

Delhi Defenders vs Pakistan Wolfpak – Delhi won 21-0

Mumbai Gladiators vs Kandy Skykings – Kandy won 11-3

EFLI sideline reporter Sasha interviews Delhi Defenders star Amit "Happy" http://t.co/DqZikpdA http://t.co/yOw3dNPh

— EFLI (@EFLIFootball) August 2, 2012

Mumbai Gladiators star Preetesh Balyala http://t.co/0587rPd6 http://t.co/cACJUp1Z

— EFLI (@EFLIFootball) August 2, 2012

Colombo Lions OL #91 http://t.co/yeYG68aG http://t.co/PbSxnQFX

— EFLI (@EFLIFootball) August 2, 2012

jennamoshell game day #efli #bigsu