UTV recovers cost before Goal release

“We have recovered our cost of production even before Goal‘s worldwide theatrical release on 23 November. We have sold different rights and the revenue from the home video segment is based on projections. Bindass is our brand partner,” says UTV EVP marketing, distribution and syndication Siddharth Roy Kapur.

The cost recovery comes from syndication of satellite and music rights, territory pre-sales, home video, in-film advertising with brands like Reebok, Western Union and Gillete.

The music rights have been sold to T-Series. “We can‘t disclose whom we have sold the other rights to,” says Kapur.

So were the satellite telecast rights sold to Bindass? “We can‘t say anything at this stage,” says Kapur.

UTV has a joint venture with Malaysia‘s Astro for Bindass.

To promote the film, the star cast of Goal have appeared in reality talent shows like Nach Baliye3, Jhalak Dikhla Jaa 2, Voice of India and Indian Idol 3.

As promotional campaign, Reebok, which sponsored the clothing line in the film, will retail the ‘Goal‘ range across 535 outlets in India. There will also be co-branded window-displays in Reebok showrooms promoting the ‘Goal‘ collection, which includes apparel and accessories related to football that figure in the movie.

UTV has also licensed the gaming rights for the film to Indiagames, which has tied up with FIFA to launch the Goal-FIFA challenge on the games-on-demand platform. UTV holds majority stake in Indiagames.

ESPN Star Sports will integrate the catch-line of ‘Goal – Duniya Goal Hai‘ to promote English Premier League matches to be telecast on ESPN in the month of November.

John Abraham and Bipasha Basu will promote the line on ESPN Star Sports through channel ID‘S all through November when the channel will run a contest to select five winners who get to watch an English Premier League match in the UK.

UTV has tied up with Zee Sports to organise the ‘Goal Bus Tour‘ in Delhi. The entire Goal team comprising the lead actors and other players of Southall Team have visited malls, schools and colleges in Delhi and interacted with their fans.