Category: Sports

Mumbai: Virat Kohli and Sunil Chhetri for the first time ever converged on a single platform at the ‘Let There Be Sport’ Conclave, organised by sports brand PUMA India. The line-up voiced the growing need to prioritise sports and fitness at a mass level and integrating it as a relevant subject in the main curriculum of educational institutions for the development of the country.

Moderated by PUMA India managing director Southeast Asia Abhishek Ganguly, the conclave witnessed two fireside chats with PUMA athletes Kohli and Chhetri, on Friday.

During the chat, Kohli and Chhetri went down memory lane and plumbed out inspiring tales from their individual sporting journeys that will stand as bright beacons for those who want to add sports and fitness as a part of their daily life.

Ganguly said, “Sports is a pivotal part of growth, be it for good physical and mental health, or to provide people with valuable life lessons. Only sport holds the power to transcend social, economic, and gender barriers to unite people on a single platform. So, it is about time that we stop viewing it as an extra-curricular activity and motivate people to start valuing it as a critical life skill which is extremely crucial for the growth of our nation.”

Ganguly added,“Through the #LetThereBeSport initiative, we aim to develop an ecosystem at the grassroots level that prioritises fitness and motivates people to take up sports and physical activities.”

Kohli, an inspiration for millions with his work ethic, discipline and passion for fitness, stated the central need for kids and adults of the country to adopt a strong sports culture in order to succeed in life.

Commenting at the conclave, Kohli said, “Sports and fitness has always been an integral part of my life and my career as a cricketer has positively shaped my personality and emotional wellbeing. I am happy to be a part of PUMA’s Let There Be Sport Conclave. We are confident that our journeys as sports professionals shared today on this platform will inspire the nation to make fitness a way of life. We have taken a long-term pledge to actively create more opportunities to deeply engage with people, underline the importance of a thriving sports culture and find ways to contribute towards developing a fitter India.”

Like thousands of youngsters in the country, Kohli at the conclave was asked to address his preference as a kid— studies or sports?

“I was pretty decent at studies, except for maths. I just couldn’t understand maths. I’m scared. How am I gonna teach anything to my daughter? She asked me some questions and that really scares me. I didn’t have enough time to do maths. But when I focused on it, I was pretty good. So, I never had trouble at school, never bunked classes,” said Kohli while taking a quick trip down the memory lane.

India’s sporting greats, Virat Kohli as well as Sunil Chhetri on a single stage echoed collectively the drive a fundamental shift in the country’s perception and commitment towards adoption of sports and fitness culture.”

Chhetri also emphasised the value of sports and fitness in the development of one’s character, nature and emotional wellbeing.

Chhetri said, “India is a huge country and holds limitless potential to become a global sporting superpower. However, for that to happen we need to promote participation in sports and fitness right from the grassroots level by treating it as an essential habit of day-to-day life instead of narrowing it down to a hobby. Sports impacts millions of people all over the world in a powerful way and is capable of positively influencing one’s attitude. I urge everyone to make playing and exercising a part of their daily life.”

At the conclave, PUMA also streamed its latest 90-second digital film as part of the #LetThereBeSport campaign. The film features PUMA’s brand ambassadors Virat Kohli, MC Mary Kom, Sunil Chhetri, Avani Lekhara and Bhawani Devi, and everyday athletes, capturing the need to take sport beyond the realm of an extra-curricular activity.

PUMA had recently conducted an exclusive sports-focussed study along with reputed research and analytics firm Nielsen Sports, which shockingly revealed that only 20 per cent of urban Indian adults meet the WHO-recommended 150 minutes or more of physical exercise on a weekly basis while kids averaged only 86 minutes of the recommended 420 minutes of fitness per week.

Mumbai: Glance, smart lock screen platforms, has partnered with JioCinema, the exclusive digital destination of the TATA IPL, to bring the excitement of the marquee T20 league to cricket fans through a unique experience. As a result of this partnership, over 200 million Glance consumers will enjoy a seamless “lock screen to app” viewing experience for the first time in the country. 

This partnership between Glance and JioCinema will bring a personalised and premium experience to cricket fans who can stay connected with all the on and off-field happenings throughout the 2023 TATA IPL season. They will receive visually rich and exciting content on their lock screens powered by the JioCinema app. By tapping on their favourite content, fans will be led to live TATA IPL coverage on JioCinema if it is already installed on their smartphone; in case consumers do not have a JioCinema app on their smartphone, they will be directed to download the app for them to experience the league. This experience will be available to consumers across all leading Android smartphones in India that are powered by Glance.

The seamless integration of JioCinema’s TATA IPL coverage with Glance will significantly enhance the viewing experience for cricket fans, providing them with instant access to cricketing action and updates. Additionally, consumers will be able to enjoy exclusive Glance-led T20 content such as latest scores, match updates and highlights of their favourite teams and players directly on their lock screen. Consumers will also be able to watch expert match analysis, team discussions, player selection insights, performance evaluations, live chat sessions with cricketers, and watch parties for the season’s matches. With several innovative features, cricket enthusiasts across the country will be able to stay up to date with the latest, real-time news and insights through Glance lock screen and JioCinema app.

“Our proposition to fans for the TATA IPL is all about elevating their live-sport viewing experience. We are excited to partner with Glance because our association allows us to build on this proposition and provide a convenient and personalised experience for cricket fans to stay up to speed with the latest in the league directly from their lock screens,” said Viacom18 head of strategy and partnership for sports Hursh Shrivastava. “Both Glance and JioCinema have been disrupting how consumers experience content digitally, and this partnership brings that disruption to how cricket will be experienced going forward.”

Glance chief marketing officer Bikash Chowdhury said “Glance is designed to surface the best of the internet to consumers directly on their lock screens. Our partnership with JioCinema brings together the best of two worlds – lock screen and app – to create a unique viewing experience for cricket fans. They will now be able to catch updates and highlights of T20 cricket directly on their lock screens and catch ball-by-ball action on the JioCinema app, making it easy for them to stay connected with the game, no matter where they are.”

Glance has revolutionised the way content is experienced right on the lock screens of Android smartphones. Glance’s pioneering ‘smart lock screen’ platform, powered by artificial intelligence, makes it frictionless for users to discover their preferred content across various genres, such as music, entertainment, sports, gaming, trends, and more.

In 2022, sports emerged as one of the most popular content categories viewed on Glance lock screens, clocking an impressive 145 million impressions. Glance offered a wide array of sports-related content, including TATA IPL, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and other sports events, providing users with an unparalleled sport viewing experience.

Mumbai: Lubricant company Castrol has announced its partnership with JioCinema, for streaming the 2023 TATA Indian Premier League, as an associate sponsor. With this association, the company continues its long legacy of sponsoring some of the world’s largest and most significant sporting events over the years, including the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Castrol, through this sponsorship, will work closely with JioCinema to engage with fans in the country and across the globe and leverage the platform to showcase its refreshed brand persona during the TATA IPL. Castrol’s vibrant logo and new sonic strive will provide fans with a memorable and engaging brand experience.  

Castrol India VP marketing Jaya Jamrani said, “We are excited to partner with JioCinema for streaming the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL), one of India’s most prominent sporting events, for the latest season. This partnership gives us a great opportunity to showcase our refreshed brand identity, which reflects our commitment to investing in the future and creating new opportunities for growth and success”.

“We are delighted to have Castrol on board as we begin our journey to offer viewers a never-seen-before presentation of the TATA Indian Premier League on JioCinema,” said a Viacom18 spokesperson. “Our focus for the TATA IPL is to elevate the consumer’s experience while streaming India’s favourite sporting event, and Castrol’s objective to unveil their new brand persona through this association syncs perfectly together”.

Castrol has a rich history of sponsoring various sporting events in India which have enabled the promotion and growth of various sports in the country. Castrol’s involvement in sports reflects the company’s commitment to innovation and performance, which are values that are shared by athletes and sports fans alike.

Mumbai: Star Sports’ build-up programming to TATA IPL 2023 has seen a sharp 62 per cent increase over the previous year, reaching a staggering 205.6 million viewers. The total number of minutes watched have increased by a whopping 142 per cent compared to last year, touching 21.5 billion minutes.In fact, the viewership (in million) and consumption (in billion minutes) of IPL Build-up programming is highest in the last three years.

This achievement, even before a ball is bowled in the tournament, is testament to Star Sports’ commitment to enhanced storytelling in multiple languages and fans’ love for the network. This data is also a strong indicator of the scale and reach that the Star Sports Network is expected to deliver for its broadcast of Tata IPL 2023.

The Star Sports Network celebrated 15 years of the IPL with various programming initiatives whichserved fans exclusive content about their favourite teams and players (past and present). With shows like Incredible Star Cast, Stars on Star, Incredible Awards: 15 Years of IPL, Game Plan, Cricket Countdown and IPL Heroes, fans have had a diverse offering of shows available on the ‘home of Cricket’ – Star Sports. The focus on fans and customised offering of content continues into the tournament with the most watched Cricket show in India – Cricket Live – returning for Tata IPL 2023 along with other fan-favourites such as Match Point, Game Plan, Cricket Countdown continuing through the course of the tournament. Star Sports has also partnered with Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants to produce franchise-based shows which seek to drive fandom for the team and increase their affinity.

Mumbai: Cricket’s G.O.A.T. Sachin Tendulkar is no stranger to smashing records. Over 34,000 international runs and 100 tons later, he is back at it, this time with his sights set on an off field record for JioCinema.

In a video released by the brand and the Master Blaster himself, Sachin has called on cricket fans in a new ‘digital India’ to join him in setting a new record for most fans watching the TATA IPL on JioCinema.

Whether digital India smashes this record or not only time will tell, but all eyes will be on their phone, tablet, and connected TV screens when JioCinema’s coverage of Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans kicks off today at 5 PM.

Mumbai: Star Sports Network, the official broadcaster of TATA IPL 2023 has announced a range of product features for the upcoming season in its continuing endeavour to enhance the viewing experience for fans. The broadcaster continues its association with Dolby to broadcast the tournament with Dolby ATMOS (5.1.4) audio, providing an immersive audio experience on its HD feeds. The broadcaster has worked with Dolby to enhance the configuration of over 40 microphones in the stadium to capture cinematic and sound.   

Star Sports is also launching a range of interactive features with Airtel Digital TV (“Star Sports Pro” available on ‘red button’ on the remote) and with Tata Play (“Star Sports VIP” available on the ‘side button’ on the remote). Features available on the service include ‘real-time highlights’, ‘key moments’, and ‘comprehensive statistics’. The on-demand statistics available to viewers on the touch of a button are powered by ESPN Cricinfo’s revered statistical database. Other features include an ‘Ambience feed’, which provides viewers the option of turning off commentary while experiencing unhindered in-stadia sound and a first-of-its-kind ‘subtitled feed’ which will provide subtitles for commentary during the live match. The live subtitling is powered by a combination of an innovative workflow and AI.

Other than powering features being offered to consumers, technology is playing a key role in driving enhanced coverage of Tata IPL 2023. ‘Holobox’ at the studio will provide an interactive experience that allows fans to teleport and interact with the commentators while ‘Traxis’ enhances graphics in 3D to augment the viewing experience. Additionally, the ‘social listening tool’ will allow real-time fan polling through any social platform on a real-time basis to promote fan engagement. The introduction of Hawkeye 4K Cam, Xeebra Quad Replay, and the VR Immersive Cricket Game aim to elevate the standard of programming and live match coverage.

A Star Sports spokesperson said, “We have always believed that Tata IPL 2023 should be a hotbed for innovation in the world of live sports broadcast. Our coverage, in association with the BCCI, should aim to set global standards. As viewing experiences enter a new era, we want to make sure that we are always pushing boundaries, to serve fans. Our continuous focus on fan behaviour has led us to develop features which complement the viewing spectacle of IPL and still offer the comfort of the lean-back TV experience, which fans love.”

Disney Star, over the last two weeks, has unveiled coverage plans for Tata IPL 2023 which seek to drive community viewing, add layers of interactivity, and enhance customisation on Television. Star Sports’ brand of storytelling and association with superstars of the game including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Shreyas Iyer promises to take the fan deeper into the game and closer to their heroes than ever before.

A panel of experts comprising World Champions, IPL title winners, marquee coaches and seasoned broadcasters from across the world will present the tournament. Bollywood star Ranveer Singh and Telugu acting legend Nandamuri Balakrishnan are also associated with Star Sports’ broadcast of Tata IPL 2023 to bring alive a never-seen-before spectacle which seeks to engage over 500 million viewers on TV.

Summary of technological innovations:

Special button service: It will consist of ‘Real-time Highlights,’ which will provide viewers with instant highlights of missed game segments, ‘Key Moments’ will provide viewers highlights of critical game-changing moments from the match and ‘Stats Feed’, in association with ESPN Cricinfo, will provide real-time stats to viewers on television.

Dolby Atmos (Live match feed): The live match feed will be produced in Dolby Atmos sound. This Atmos audio, available on the HD feeds, will enable the viewer to experience the original stadium atmosphere in the comfort of the home.

Ambience-only feed: Viewers will be able to enable the ‘Ambience Only’ mode whenever they wish with just a press of the blue button on their remote which will eliminate commentary and provide a stadium-like atmosphere to fans.

Holobox: This feature is one of the newest advancements in sports broadcasting which provides an interactive experience that allows fans to get a better understanding of key moments in the game.

Subtitled Feed: The subtitled feed will provide live match commentary subtitles. It will allow the broadcaster to provide the IPL to audiences who are differently abled by providing live match commentary subtitles which is an innovation in live sports broadcast. This feature is also highly efficient in noisy areas like pubs and restaurants, allowing viewers to remain invested in the game.

Social listening tool (real-time fan polling through any platform): Fans will also be able to interact with the television by using the social listening tool which provides fans with real-time polls through any platform.

Xeebra Quad Replay: Using the Quad Replay tool, viewers will be able to capture key moments through different angles simultaneously and enjoy a richer viewing experience.

VR Immersive Cricket Game: VR Cricket Game with real-time engine rendering. mixed reality output, broadcast-like output, and stabilised POV output to help in better analysis of the game

Hawkeye 3D cutouts: Using 3D player cut outs for analysis for a better visual experience during match analysis.

Mumbai: Zed Black, the flagship incense sticks brand from MP based FMCG conglomerate Mysore Deep Perfumery House (MDPH), has partnered with Delhi Capitals as their ‘Official Prayer Partner’ for the T20 League 2023 edition. With this historic partnership with Delhi Capitals, Zed Black becomes the first incense sticks brand to join forces with a popular T20 League team and also the first FMCG brand from Madhya Pradesh to partner with a team in an Indian T20 League.

Built on the spirit of ‘Prarthna hogi Sweekar’ brand tagline, the company has shot a heart-thumping, electrifying anthem that oozes energy, positivity and enough swag to attract the masses, millennials & GenZ making you root for the players of the Delhi Capitals team and also inspires one to work hard and give their best shot in life for achieving success. The anthem to be unveiled soon features three star players of Delhi Capitals team, Prithvi Shaw, Ishant Sharma & Manish Pandey. The Zed Black logo features prominently on the match and training trouser of the Delhi Capitals uniform.

Additionally, the collaboration will involve giving away special signed team merchandise and memorabilia to winners of contests run by the brand across its social media handles.

Commenting on this collaboration, Mysore Deep Perfumery House & Zed Black partner & director Ankit Agrawal shared, “We are excited to announce our partnership with Delhi Capitals. Cricket is a religion in India and the T20 League is one of the most eagerly awaited sporting extravaganzas amongst fans across the globe. We believe Zed Black resonates well with Delhi Capitals as both brands are bringing India together. Just like the tournament offers high voltage entertainment to cricket lovers, Zed Black offers prayers through its immense prayer & puja essentials like agarbatti, dhoop, dhoop sticks, dhoop cones etc across the globe”.

Zed Black today is among the top three brands in the agarbatti category in India. It is one of the largest selling agarbatti manufacturers and retailers in India and also the leading incense sticks exporter in the country.

MDPH has a plethora of top-notch quality products under its own household brands in categories such as agarbatti, essential oils, hand sanitizers, packaged tea, dhoop batti, confectionery, and more under its premium bestseller flagship labels Zed Black, Manthan, Shriphal, Orva and Din Din.

Mysore Deep Perfumery House & Zed Black partner & director Anshul Agrawal further added, “With Zed Black’s venture into IPL as the Official Prayer Partner for Delhi Capitals we feel it is one of the best mediums to spread the power of prayers amongst millions of hearts. With our anthem, ‘Prarthna Hogi Sweekar’, we want to be the catalysts of victory with prayers. Our association with cricket isn’t new as we have had veteran cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni as our brand ambassador for the last six years for our flagship product Zed Black 3-in-1 premium agarbatti. We are a global brand and Delhi is a big consumer market for us in India for dhoop & dhoop sticks. Considering the popularity of Delhi Capitals, our sponsorship will allow us to penetrate in deeper markets with our innovative fragrance offerings”.

Delhi Capitals CEO Dhiraj Malhotra shared, “Our team features in India’s biggest sporting festival that is received with an unrivalled and unmatched experience. The tournament holds the power to create strong emotional connections across India.  We are excited to sign a partnership with Zed Black as our ‘Official Prayer Partner’ which adds a wonderful dimension of spirituality to an otherwise high-octane sporting event. Delhi Capitals has been an extremely consistent team and we look forward to witnessing some exciting cricket this T20 season”.

The association will also be amplified by way of a 360-degree campaign across the offline, digital and social media platforms which will run through the entire duration of the tournament.

At the heart of MDPH is its 4,000 plus workforce, of which 80 per cent comprises women who are involved in all aspects of manufacturing from perfume making to packaging. The company has over 170 fragrances that go into the making of the agarbattis and produces 700 kg of perfume every day. MDPH processes over three crore incense sticks every day at its 9,40,000 sq. ft manufacturing space in Madhya Pradesh, comprising five factories. It has in its kitty over 1,200 products that are exported to over 40 countries across six continents and 15 lakh packs of Zed Black incense sticks are sold in a day.

Mumbai: The #IPL2023 starts tomorrow, it’s a war between Star Sports and Jio Cinema. They have both upped their ante and gone all out in regard to brand ambassadors and sponsors. Today Star Sports has unveiled the first list of sponsors for the upcoming IPL 2023. 

1. Dream11 

2. Asian Paints 

3. Charged by Thums Up

4. Airtel 

5. Cadbury Dairy Milk 

6. Mountain Dew 

7. Parle Biscuits

8. Kamala Pasand

9. Rupay

10. Britannia

11. Tata Neu

12. Jindal Panther

13. LIC

 

Mumbai: Games24x7, India’s most valuable multi- gaming platform, is bringing a new mystery to this IPL season with an exciting new campaign for its fantasy sports platform, My11Circle. The leading fantasy cricket platform and official title sponsor of IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has unveiled an exciting lineup of fan engagement campaigns for the upcoming cricket season. With campaigns like ‘Bade Se Bada’, ‘Locker Room Stories’, and ‘Out of the Park’, My11Circle aims to provide fans with a unique and entertaining experience throughout the season.

Commenting on the campaign, My11Circle senior vice-president Saroj Panigrahi said, “At My11Circle, we have always kept the user at the centre. Our campaigns are based on the insights which we draw from our users and that’s the reason they resonate extremely well with our audience. We are positive that the new campaigns will strike a chord with our players and elevate their engagement on the platform.”

Bade se bada:

The campaign features a series of films with My11Circle’s brand ambassadors Sourav Ganguly, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Shubman Gill donning the roles of larger-than-life figures that symbolize My11Circle offering for this season and promises a visual treat. In a unique twist, while the campaign announces the second prize worth INR 1 crore, it leaves fans guessing on what will be the first prize.

The campaign has been created by The Script Room along with the award-winning director Vasan Bala. Commenting on the association, The Script Room live co-founder Ayyappan Raj  said, “It was great working with the My11Circle team in creating another exciting IPL campaign. The collaboration resulted in an interesting concept – promoting the second prize, thereby creating intrigue and excitement towards the first prize. We’ve built upon our very successful campaign “The Giants” and taken it a step further with the idea of “bade se bada” for a creative visualization. Vasan Bala has done a fantastic job!”

The campaign will go live on Star Sports and Jio cinema on 31 March, coupled with a pre-burst on Youtube supported by performance campaigns across multiple digital platforms.

Locker Room Stories  

Locker Room Stories offers fans a chance to get up close and personal with their favorite cricketers as they share personal anecdotes and superstitions from the locker room. The video series features cricketers – Sourav Ganguly, Shubhman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj and Ruturaj Gaikwad sharing personal anecdotes, superstitions, first-time experiences from the locker rooms of the Indian cricket team, among many other exciting facts.

Out of the Park

Out of the Park is the third in the series of video that captures various facets of the players like Sourav Ganguly, Shubhman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj and Ruturaj Gaikwad, from their favorite sweets to their role models, and everything fun on the pitch.

With these engagement campaigns, My11Circle aims to reinforce its commitment to rewarding the passion, skill, and knowledge of Indian cricket enthusiasts and players.

Bade se bada:

Shubman-Sourav Stadium: 

Siraj-Sourav Skyscraper: 

Ruturaj-Sourav Swimming Pool:

Arshdeep-Sourav Macchan:

Shubman-Sourav Ferris Wheel 

Locker Room Stories (LRS)

Shubman LRS:

Arshdeep LRS:

Sourav Gangauly LRS: 

Out of the Park (OOTP)

Shubman OOTP:

Arshdeep OOTP:

Sourav Ganguly OOTP:

 

 

 

Mumbai: Royal Challengers Bangalore has announced an exclusive partnership with Viacom18, the digital rights holder of the TATA IPL and global rights holder of the TATA WPL. The digital-first association will offer fans exclusive access to engaging content across franchise’s Men’s and Women’s T20 campaigns on JioCinema.

For the first time ever, JioCinema users will have access to a wide variety of exciting content, including exclusive interviews with the marquee players including Virat Kohli, Faf Du Plessis, Dinesh Karthik, Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, training sessions, team bonding sessions, lifestyle content through RCB’s originals RCB Bold Diaries, RCB Game Day, RCB Insider, and RCB twelfth Man. Viacom18 will leverage the power of digital and offer compelling narratives from the Royal Challengers Bangalore stables to a broader audience across devices.

In their continued endeavour to build an all-encompassing sports and lifestyle brand, RCB has expanded their fan engagement gamut beyond the field, including a subscription-based fitness on-demand product, an exclusive range of mocktail pre-mixes, and plant-based meat, among others. On digital platforms, RCB has been among the top-10 sports teams in the world in terms of social media engagement and popularity on YouTube.

Royal Challengers Bangalore head & vice president Rajesh Menon said, “At RCB, we value the power of digital and take great pride in being India’s most popular and most engaged sports team on digital platforms. Our continued belief in digital and Viacom18’s unprecedented offerings through JioCinema form a synergy that will transform the landscape of sports viewing and elevate the way we interact with fans.”

“We aim to be a one-stop shop for cricket fans by giving them a whole new perspective for all things TATA IPL through our digital proposition on JioCinema,” said Viacom18 head of strategy and partnerships Hursh Shrivastava. “Royal Challengers Bangalore are one of the top-most digitally engaged cricket teams in the world and this partnership will strengthen their position further by taking their content to a wider audience through JioCinema.”

At the start of 2023, Viacom18 unveiled a slew of original content featuring cricketers Suresh Raina, Chris Gayle, Anil Kumble, Robin Uthappa, RP Singh, Parthiv Patel, Pragyan Ojha, and Aakash Chopra. The shows are an eclectic mix of free-wheeling discussions, interviews and features that give fans the most insightful, never-seen-before, and in-depth story-telling available on JioCinema.

Viewers can continue to watch their preferred sports by downloading JioCinema (iOS & Android). For the latest updates, news, scores, and videos, fans can follow Sports18 on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube and JioCinema on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.