MUMBAI: Harish Thawani's Nimbus Communications Limited appears to be on track as regards its stated aim to launch three sports channels between October 2006 and September 2007.

Nimbus today announced the name of its main channel as Neo Sports and that the sports broadcasting business' India operations have been spun off into a new wholly owned subsidiary called Nimbus Sports Broadcast Limited. The statement issued by Nimbus, however, made no mention of who would be heading channel operations in India. That announcement is expected next week.

Nimbus' international sports broadcast operations will meanwhile, be managed by Nimbus Media Private Limited based out of Singapore. Appointed as head of Nimbus Media is Scott Ferguson who takes charge as COO heading Asiawide sports broadcast operations.

Scott, who has been heading sports broadcasting at Orbit in the Middle East, has over 20 years of experience and has had earlier stints at BBC TV, ITV, Sky and NTL.

Nimbus is pumping over Rs 3 billion (approximately $ 67 million) into Phase 1 of the sports broadcasting business and will invest a further Rs 1.5 billion ($ 33 million) in Phase 2. As has already been reported, over the last one year Nimbus has secured over $ 75 million (Rs 3.4 billion) of fresh financing from 3i & Deutsche Bank.

Meanwhile, Nimbus has commissioned Singapore based broadcast design company Brandspeed to do the channel branding and design.