Smaaash Entertainment, a sports-based virtual entertainment company co-owned by former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, has signed on Cristiano Ronaldo for its entry into the Middle East with arcade games built around football, according to Deepali Gupta of the ECONOMIC TIMES. Smaaash Founder & Chief Imagination Officer Shripal Morakhia said that the company will launch a 65,000-square foot gaming arcade with football, cricket and "other virtual games" in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in July and another in Dubai two months later. The company has invested around Rs 15 crore ($2.26M) developing the football games. Smaaash launched its signature concept in '13 with cricket pitches fitted with ball-throwing machines that replicated the pitch of world-class bowlers, including spin, and "allowed gamers to face real bowling." The same throwing machines "can project passed balls or goal shots" for football. Morakhia said, "We perfected our electronic ball-throwing machines with cricket and are now extending that to soccer." He refrained from commenting on the commercial value of the contract with the Real Madrid forward, but said it would be "at least last five years and comprise an annual fee." The contract currently covers the Gulf countries and India. Morakhia said that Smaaash's signature cricket venture that was built together with Tendulkar, who holds an 18% stake in the company and is its brand ambassador, has turned profitable in India with an operating profit margin of 32% (ECONOMIC TIMES, 12/21).
