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Brunswick, Dragon Enter India
May 27, 2008, 10:33 AM

Brunswick Billiards has expanded into the cue-sports market in India through local distributor Pro Sports India, and is counting on event producer Dragon Promotions to help increase brand awareness through marketing and pool events.

“India is the world’s second-largest populated country and has a middle- to upper-class consumer market of 300 million,” said Sean Cummings, president of Brunswick Billiards. “India has a long tradition of supporting cue sports, and we believe that the timing is right to promote Brunswick Products in this mega-market.”

Pro Sports India, a pool table manufacturing and marketing firm based in Bangalore, will have exclusive rights to distribute Brunswick products throughout the country. Dragon Promotion’s brand-awareness responsibilities will include staging the country’s first major pool tournament, the Brunswick India International 9-Ball Open, tentatively scheduled for September or October. The event will feature men’s and women’s divisions.

"Dragon Promotions enjoys exploring new projects and markets, and India seems to be ripe for us to cultivate," said Cindy Lee, CEO of Dragon Promotions.

The collective effort of the three firms will aim at raising the profile of cue sports in what could be a huge deeveloping market.

"With India moving more and more towards western trends, we felt it was invaluable to be associated with [the Brunswick] name. We would be establishing and working closely with distribution partners across key markets in India to ensure the Brunswick products and after-sales services are easily available in the local market," said Vinod Gopinath, president of Pro Sports India.