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  • Skyesports announces 2024 Counter-Strike 2 roadmap with six global IPs and a $ one million prize pool

    Skyesports announces 2024 Counter-Strike 2 roadmap with six global IPs and a $ one million prize pool

    Mumbai:  Skyesports, South Asia’s esports tournament organiser, has unveiled its highly anticipated 2024 roadmap for Counter-Strike 2, one of the most competitive games worldwide. Next year, the company has revealed six global IPs for the game with a cumulative prize pool of $ one million. These events will feature a mix of international and Indian teams and will happen as LAN events in the country and internationally.

    Skyesports’ commitment to Counter-Strike 2 comes after it hosted India’s first-ever franchised esports league with a prize pool of more than $240,000, the Skyesports Masters, earlier this year with an on-ground final in Bangalore, India. After the positive reception and success of the league, Skyesports has announced a deeper roadmap for the year.

    Commenting on the newly unveiled roadmap, Skyesports founder and CEO Shiva Nandy said, “Since the release of Counter-Strike 2 earlier this year, the game is getting more popular than ever, presenting us with exciting opportunities to invest in the space. Our 2024 roadmap has been planned with a focus on fostering talent, global expansion, and ensuring sustainability for participating teams. We have five global IPs planned, offering a total prize pool of $1 million, all happening in person. Notably, three of these tournaments will take place in India, showcasing global esports talent and introducing the electrifying world of Counter-Strike esports to a broader audience.”

    To kick off the roadmap, the Skyesports Grand Slam will happen from March 14 to 18 with a $50,000 prize pool.  Next up, the franchised esports league, the Skyesports Masters is set to make a return with a huge $350,000 prize pool in May 2024. Following the high-stakes action in the franchised league, Skyesports will bring back the longest-running homegrown esports IP in India, the Skyesports Championship, for an electrifying sixth edition in July 2024 with $150,000 on the line.

    Besides Indian teams, these tournaments will feature international organizations as well and will happen as on-ground live events in India, bringing global talent to the country. Skyesports will be unveiling the exact venues at a later date.

    Following these tournaments, Skyesports will host the $150,000 Skyesports Souvenir in Colombo, Sri Lanka with teams from India, Europe, and North America.

    In October 2024, Skyesports is set to introduce a new and ambitious global esports IP, the Skyesports Global Tour. For its inaugural edition, the tournament will take place in Bangkok, Thailand with a $250,000 prize pool. Embodying a truly global esports IP, the tournament will feature qualifiers taking place in India, Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia.

    To close off the year, the Skyesports India vs Pakistan Series is set to take place in December 2024 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This epic showdown will pit the best teams from each country in an epic showdown for the bragging rights and a share of the $50,000 prize pool.

    Additionally, the roadmap will happen in continuation with top teams from the previous IP getting invited to the next tournament. This has been done to ensure that top teams have more stability to focus on elevating talent instead of playing through the qualifiers each time.

    Adding on the 2024 roadmap, Skyesports  Head of Global Business Partnerships Sashank Bhandaru said, “As we move towards a truly global esports calendar for Counter-Strike 2 with tournaments throughout the year, we are looking forward to partnering with our existing anchor brands and working closely with new ones. Our roadmap has been planned to pave the way for long-term associations, bringing stability and investment to the Counter-Strike scene in India and beyond.”

    Besides these five global esports IPs, Skyesports will also be supporting grassroots-level collegiate and cafe events for Counter-Strike 2 in India with monetary and infrastructural support.

    The summary of the Skyesports Counter-Strike 2 Roadmap in 2024 is as follows:

    •    Skyesports Grand Slam: March 14 to 18 ($50,000) – India
    •    Skyesports Masters 2024: May 13 to 19 ($350,000) – India
    •    Skyesports Championship 6.0: July 4 to 7 ($150,000) – India
    •    Skyesports Souvenir: Sept. 13 to 15 ($150,000) – Colombo, Sri Lanka
    •    Skyesports Global Tour: Oct. 25 to 27 ($250,000) – Bangkok, Thailand
    •    India vs Pakistan Series: Dec. 20 to 22 ($50,000) – Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • News18 Punjab Haryana to organise Agenda Punjab today

    News18 Punjab Haryana to organise Agenda Punjab today

    Mumbai: News18 Punjab Haryana, the most trusted news channel of the region, will bring together top political leaders of Punjab on Agenda Punjab – a mega-conclave being organised by News18 Punjab Haryana.

    The much-anticipated event will be held in Chandigarh on 19 December 2023, and will bring to the fore the state government’s development priorities and achievements.

    Top state government ministers scheduled to speak at the conclave include Harpal Singh Cheema Minster of Finance, Planning, Programme Implementation, Excise & Taxation, Gurmeet Singh Khudian Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development, Food Processing, Chetan Singh Jouramajra Minister of Defence Services Welfare, Welfare of Freedom Fighters, Horticulture, Mining Information & Public Reforms,  Lal Chand Minister of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Forests, Wild Life and  Balkar Singh Minister of Local Government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister,  Harjot Singh Bains Minister of Technical Education & Industrial Training, Higher Education, School Education, Harbhajan Singh E.T.O. Minister of Public Works (B&R), Power, Bram Shankar (Jimpa) Minister of Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management, Water Supply & Sanitation,  Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal Minister of NRI Affairs, Administrative Reforms, Anmol Gagan Maan Minister of Tourism & Culture Affairs, Investment Promotion, Labour, Hospitality,  Laljit Singh Bhullar Minister of Transport, Rural Development & Panchayats,  Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer Minister of Sports & Youth, and  Kultar Singh Sandhwan Speaker, Punjab Assembly.

    Tune into this high-impact leadership conclave -Agenda Punjab – exclusively on News18 Punjab Haryana on 19 December, 11 am onwards.

  • BARC Report: Aaj Tak becomes Most Watched News Channel

    BARC Report: Aaj Tak becomes Most Watched News Channel

    Mumbai: BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) is a broadcast research agency, responsible for assessing and disseminating television viewership data. The recently concluded state assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram have instilled fresh aspirations among news broadcasters. Notably, during election coverage, a significant portion of mainstream news channels garnered distinct audience attention. Against this electoral backdrop, Aaj Tak Hindi news channel has emerged as the top-ranking news channel in terms of viewership, according to BARC data.

    Based on three categories for BARC rating points,

    Source: BARC | HSM | 15+ | 03rd December 2023| 07:00 to 12:00 Hrs | Gross AMA’000s

    During the key vote-counting hours in 4 states, BARC highlighted the dominance of ‘Aaj Tak’ among news channels. On December 3, 2023, Aaj Tak news channel achieved the highest viewership and claimed the title of the Most Watched news channel. Aaj Tak secured a significant market share of 16.2%, surpassing competitors such as India TV with a 13.9% share and TV9 Bharatvarsh with a 12.5% share.

    During Counting Day –

    Source: BARC | HSM | 15+ | 3rd December, 2023 | 07:00 to 24:00 Hrs | Gross AMA’000s

    On the election counting day, spanning from early morning until midnight on December 3, 2023, BARC data reaffirmed Aaj Take leading position with a 15% market share. Following closely were TV9 Bharatvarsh with 13.7% and India TV with a 12.2% market share.

    During counting week –

    Source: BARC | HSM | 15+ | Wk 49’23 | 24 Hours | Gross AMA’000s

    Throughout the entire counting week (Week 49, 2023), Aaj Tak channel showcased its dominance with a 13.0% market share, closely trailed by TV9 Bharatvarsh and News18 India, each securing a 12.9% share. Week 49 began on the heels of the highly awaited results announcement for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. Aaj Tak capitalised on this surge in national interest, maintaining its top spot throughout the week. This was particularly evident during the crucial days of Exit Poll announcements (November 30) and actual results (December 3).

  • Braun Strowman Wraps India tour with Sony Sports Network

    Braun Strowman Wraps India tour with Sony Sports Network

    Mumbai: WWE Superstar Braun Strowman, known as the ‘Monster of all Monsters’, completed a successful four-day promotional tour in India starting with a meet and greet with Rajesh Kaul, chief revenue officer of distribution and International business and head of sports Business. The meeting was followed by interactive sessions with the employees of Sony Pictures Networks India as well as the filming of a special episode of Sony Sports Network’s flagship studio show, WWE Super Dhamaal in Mumbai.

    WWE Superstar Braun Strowman also visited four key distributors in the industry – DEN, HATHWAY, AIRTEL, and DISH TV during his four-day India tour. The WWE Superstar met over 1500 employees across the trade distribution engagements that helped to forge deeper connections with the attendees.

    During his time in Mumbai, Braun Strowman also met popular Indian cricketer Venkatesh Iyer, who has been a fan of WWE since his childhood. The destructive batting all-rounder and the WWE Superstar who is known for his destruction in the ring, bonded well as they discussed catchphrases and lingos from their respective fields followed by a small cricket session. Furthermore, Strowman also met with India’s Got Talent Season 9 winner Divyansh Kacholia aka DVK who performed a special beatbox segment which left the ‘Monster’ amazed.

    Comments:

    Sony Networks India Chief Revenue Officer – Distribution & International Business and head Sports Business Rajesh Kaul:  

    “We were delighted to host WWE Superstar Braun Strowman in India. Sony Sports Network’s broadcast of WWE enjoys a tremendous following and it is evident with the overwhelming response we received since we announced Braun Strowman’s visit to India. Sony Sports Network will continue to work with WWE to not only showcase the best WWE has to offer to viewers but to also curate experiences that builds a deeper connect with our audiences.”

    WWE Superstar Braun Strowman:

    “It has been great to be back in India and be given the opportunity to see our loyal fans in person. India is an amazing country and I always look forward to returning.”

    WWE sports entertainment properties in India and continues to captivate fans with regular promotional tours and live events in the country. Earlier this year, Sony Sports Network partnered with WWE to organise the WWE Superstar Spectacle in Hyderabad featuring one of the most iconic WWE Superstars of all time, John Cena. The mega event at Gachibowli Indoor Stadium received a tremendous response as fans from across the country travelled to witness the biggest WWE Superstars live in action.  

    Watch the LIVE coverage of WWE RAW every Tuesday, WWE NXT every Wednesday and WWE SmackDown every Saturday on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi) & Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels at 6:30 am IST.

  • Viacom18 welcomes Sushma Rajesh as cluster head for Kannada and Marathi

    Viacom18 welcomes Sushma Rajesh as cluster head for Kannada and Marathi

    Mumbai: Sushma Rajesh has recently been appointed as the cluster head for Kannada and Marathi at Viacom18 Media. With a career spanning various key roles, Sushma previously served as Sr VP and business head – Kannada at The Walt Disney Company for nearly two years and three months. She shared this career move on her LinkedIn profile.

    Beginning her journey in 2004 at Star India as a senior manager in research & strategic planning, Sushma has held significant positions, including vice president of marketing & channel Strategy at Life OK in 2014 and business head at Star Utsav. Prior to her tenure at Star India, she commenced her career at IMRB, a division of the Kantar Group.

  • Zee proposes merger extension with Sony

    Zee proposes merger extension with Sony

    Mumbai: The merger agreement between Zee and Sony dated 21 December 2021, was to be closed by 22 December 2023 (two year period); Zee has proposed extension of the same with Sony.

    Indiantelevison reached out to Sony for their comments. This is what they had to say, “Sony is evaluating the request”.

    According to Zee, in its stock exchange filing, reported that pursuant to the Merger Cooperation Agreement dated 22 December 2021 entered into amongst the Company, Bangla Entertainment Private Ltd (‘BEPL’), and Culver Max Entertainment Private Ltd (formerly known as Sony Pictures Networks India Private Ltd), the company has requested CMEPL and BEPL to extend the date required to make the scheme effective, as per the terms of the Merger Cooperation Agreement.

    The request by Zee to extend the deadline comes just a day after two independent directors were unable to secure the re-appointment of the company’s board.

    Directors Sasha Mirchandani and Vivek Mehra “failed to get the requisite majority of votes,” the company said in an exchange filing.

    Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) commented, “ZEE’s notice to the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India dated December 17 is an acknowledgement that they will not be able to meet the December 21, 2023 deadline to close the SPNI/ZEE merger. The notice triggers an existing contractual provision in the deal that allows for both parties to discuss the possibility of extending the deadline. SPNI is required to start those conversations but has not yet agreed to a deadline extension. We look forward to hearing ZEE’s proposals and how they plan to complete the remaining critical closing conditions.”

  • Jasleen Royal’s ‘Dastoor’ hits one million views in 20 hours

    Jasleen Royal’s ‘Dastoor’ hits one million views in 20 hours

    Mumbai: The musical Jasleen Royal, continues to enrapture audiences with her latest offering, “Dastoor,” as the music video crosses a staggering milestone of one million views within a mere 20 hours of its release. This exceptional achievement stands as a testament to the unparalleled resonance of Royal’s artistry and the profound connection audiences hold with her work. Marking a viral victory Jasleen Royal is all set to turn into an internet sensation yet again after Heeriye.

    “Dastoor,” an enthralling depiction of an epic love saga set against the backdrop of 1980s Kashmir, captures the hearts and imaginations of viewers, swiftly amassing an overwhelming wave of appreciation and support. Within hours of its debut, the music video surged past the coveted one million view mark, illustrating the sheer power of Jasleen Royal’s musical prowess and storytelling.

    Expressing her elation, Jasleen Royal remarked, “The overwhelming response to ‘Dastoor’ has left me truly humbled and immensely grateful. Crossing the one million views milestone within just 20 hours of its release is beyond my wildest dreams. It’s heartening to witness the audience’s embrace of this musical narrative that holds a special place in my heart. Dastoor is the result of collective efforts of an outstanding cast to etch this musical masterpiece into the hearts of many.”

    The music video, portraying the impassioned love story of Jasleen and Babil, reminiscent of the iconic duo Neena Gupta and Jackie Shroff, has captivated audiences with its emotive storytelling and enchanting melodies. Its rapid ascent to one million views signifies not only the admiration for Jasleen Royal’s artistry but also the universal appeal of a story that resonates deeply with viewers across the globe.

    This remarkable milestone reinforces Jasleen Royal’s position as a celebrated musical virtuoso and storyteller extraordinaire. As “Dastoor” continues to enthral audiences, it cements its place as a testament to the enduring power of music to connect hearts and transcend boundaries.

  • RCB director Mo Bobat targets overseas pacers and homegrown spinners in the IPL auction

    RCB director Mo Bobat targets overseas pacers and homegrown spinners in the IPL auction

    Mumbai: Mo Bobat, the director of cricket for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) while addressing the convergence of global sporting stakeholders at RCB Innovation Lab’s Leaders Meet India, shed light on the team’s strategic priorities for the upcoming IPL auctions.

    Bobat highlighted the need for smart decision-making in trades and auctions to further strengthen the player group. “We have got a strong core of retaining players, and we have got a very powerful top order. Part of the decision-making that we had around our player release decisions was to try and strengthen the middle order and bringing Cameron Green was a fantastic move. Mohammad Siraj is a core part of what we do so supporting Siraj with some more bowling options including overseas bowling options is going to be a real priority for us moving forward. Then we have got a core of local spinners, which I think is quite strong. Some of them got some opportunities over the last year or two and they might play more leading roles moving forward,” he said.

    One of the key minds behind RCB Innovation Lab, the 40-year-old dived into the innovative nature of the first-of-its-kind summit and the thought process behind it, “When we first conceptualised the RCB Innovation Lab we wanted RCB to be known as innovators on and off the field.  Leaders have got a fantastic track record of doing this sort of thing around the world and it is their first venture in India. We have deliberately set this one up as a hybrid of high performance and business coexisting in one place. That is really important because the two things are connected. Hopefully, it acts as a bit of a catalyst for movement and change for resource, backing, and decision-making across all sports in India.”

    Bobat also underscored the significance of fostering the right performance environment and culture for players to showcase their capabilities. “I am committed to a long-term project here. We have a fantastic captain in Faf, and an excellent group of senior players with the experience of Virat, Maxi (Maxwell), and DK (Dinesh Karthik). So the ingredients are really strong. The next objective is to make sure we create the right performance, and culture where the players can really go and showcase what they are capable of, and go out and entertain the public. If we commit to our processes, play a brand of cricket that is aggressive, and have those moments where we’re prepared to be brave it will get the fans going.”

    While discussing how he identifies the right fast bowler using data and a holistic approach which will be key for RCB going into the IPL 2024 auction, Bobat delved into the skill, physical, and psychological aspects and stated, “Naturally cricket tends to get attracted to and gravitate towards things like the control and the lateral movement of fast bowlers but what we should be doing is identifying players that have the pace and the balance. The reason I draw that distinction is you can teach someone to ball accurately, you can teach someone to develop craft and lateral movement but it is not that easy to teach pace or manufacture balance because you are talking about their release height and their physicality. So understanding that distinction between which of those attributes we need to identify and which of those things we can teach over time is a really important distinction,”

    Regarding cricket talent in India, Bobat expressed his admiration for the country’s talent pool whilst also praising the men’s cricket team’s consistent and standout performances in the recently concluded cricket World Cup 2023.

  • Adani Group acquires IANS after NDTV, BQ Prime

    Adani Group acquires IANS after NDTV, BQ Prime

    Mumbai: Adani Group acquired the IANS wired news service agency as reported by PTI. Adani subsidiary AMG Media Network has taken control by purchasing a 50.5 per cent stake in IANS. Infrastructure conglomerate Adani Group now shifted its focus on Adani’s venture into the media business strategically. AMG Media Network subsidiary of Adani Group garnered a new feather in its cap after acquiring NDTV, a Quintillion Business news network (BQ Prime).

    As per regulatory filings, the Adani group acquired a stake of equity shares with an agreement with IANS and its shareholder Sandeep Bamzai. IANS (Indo-Asian News Service) is a network-wired news agency in India, South Asia, Africa, and North America. In the last decade, IANS shifted focus to the Indian news verticals.

    As filing mentioned , AMG media shareholders had signed an agreement with Sandeep Bamzai and IANS. In the financial year 2023, IANS had a turnover of around 11.86 crores. Despite the loss of 100 billion dollars due to short selling, the Hindenburg report stated irregularities in Adani’s financial irregularities.

    According to filings company management and control will be managed by AMG. Along with the right to appoint a board of directors. Allegedly IANS faced financial difficulty for day-to-day functioning. IANS media agency has more than 200 employees headquartered in New Delhi.

    Over the years Adani Group has diversified its portfolio into producing coal, energy distribution, mining, ports infrastructure, data centers, and more recently into cement and copper and now into media. The acquisition amount of IANS is not disclosed.

  • IPL Auction 2024: When and where to watch, date, time, live streaming, venue

    IPL Auction 2024: When and where to watch, date, time, live streaming, venue

    Mumbai: The IPL 2024 Auction will take place on Tuesday 19 December 2023, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. 333 cricketers will go under the hammer, of whom 214 are Indians and 119 are overseas players, with a maximum of 77 slots to fill. The highest reserve price for a player is Rs 2 crore, with 23 players such as Travis Head, Steve Smith, Harshal Patel, Shardul Thakur, and Lockie Ferguson listing themselves at that value. Gujarat Titans will come into the auction with the highest purse with Rs 38.15 crore while the Lucknow Super Giants have the lowest purse balance at Rs 13.15 crore.

    JioCinema will bring back its multi-language coverage of the league, streaming the auction in seven languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi, and Bhojpuri. Each language will have former Indian cricketers and experts to cover the auction, including the likes of AB de Villiers, Eoin Morgan, Suresh Raina, Anil Kumble, Hanuma Vihari, Abhinav Mukund, Veda Krishnamurthy, and many more.

    JioCinema will also live stream a mock auction with the likes of Suresh Raina, Anil Kumble, Mile Hesson, Eoin Morgan, Robin Uthappa, and others on 18 December at 12 noon to give viewers a flavour of what to expect from auction day and analyse potential strategies.

    Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming IPL Auction 2024 live stream:

    What: IPL Auction 2024

    When: 19 December 2023 (Tuesday)  

    Where: Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Time: Pre-auction analysis begins at 12 noon, followed by live auction coverage 1:00 PM onwards

    Live streaming in India: JioCinema