Category: Sports

Mumbai: Enhancing the excitement of the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2023, the country’s two teams Top-G and Purr-ple, are set to create history by becoming the first all-female CS:GO teams from India to compete for a place at the global finals of the World Esports Championships (WEC) when they go head to head against each other on 18 March.

The ongoing NESC 2023 organized by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) will be selecting the Indian contingent for the upcoming 15 WEC in Iasi, Romania, and is witnessing the participation of 275 athletes across four different titles – CS:GO, DOTA 2, Tekken7, and eFootball 2023.

Team Top-G is led by team captain Swayambika Sachar (Sway) and comprises Nidhi Salekar (Stormyyy), Priyanka Choudhary (ALEXAA), Dilraj Kaur Matharu (COCO), and gamer Shagufta Iqbal (xyaa). The roster’s high-quality gameplay, tactics, and attacking proficiency have made them an all-round efficient unit that performs at the highest level.

Speaking on the historic matchup, Sachar said, “I am really grateful that ESFI has given us this wonderful opportunity to compete on such a notable platform and I hope that our team can make the most of it. Our team has spent countless hours of practicing and strategizing for this matchup and we will portray that through our performance by putting up a tough fight. We not only want to create history by becoming first female CS:GO team from India to participate at the World Esports Championships but also inspire other women to pursue their passion in gaming by making it a serious career option. I am confident that the team will give it their all to prevail in tomorrow’s contest.”

Their opponents, team Purr-ple consists of skipper Mansi Rajesh Sottany (MatkA QueeN), Uzma Zaki (Meowkasa), Mrinal Baranwal (Jollies10), Pragnya Spruha (P1Xie), Avantika Pal (Avantiee) and Manpreet Kaur (MkS). The squad is known for its smart strategies, dazzling performances and supreme technical skills.

“We are thrilled to participate in the national qualifiers to compete in a title that we have been playing for so many years. India’s Esports industry is witnessing a paradigm shift with the rise of female gamers and I am proud of belonging to the community that is significantly contributing to the growth of the sector. My teammates are well prepared for the match tomorrow and I have full faith in them to utilize their expertise to lead the team to glory. I would like to thank ESFI for presenting us with this platform to showcase our talent in front of the country,” said Sottany.

The winner of this high-intensity clash will be competing in a friendly match against another female CS:GO team from a different country in order to confirm their place at the WEC 2023.

Expressing her feelings, Kaur said, “I am honored to be a part of Team India in this championship. The opportunity of potentially representing my country on a global platform is a dream come true and I am ready to give my all to bring home the victory. With women empowerment being on the rise in Indian Esports, these qualifiers are a chance to inspire every aspiring female gamer in the country.”

The 15 World Esports Championship 2023 will have a prize pool of $500,000 and is set to be the largest edition of the tournament to date with at least 130 countries participating in it. The global finals of the prestigious tournament will take place from 24 August to 4 September 2023.

One of the country’s top sports & esports communication agencies, Artsmith-Concepts & Visions, will continue its support to the Esports Federation of India as their official communication partner.

The match will be played in a best-of-3 format and will begin at 8 pm with its action being streamed live on ESFI’s Youtube, Facebook, and Glance Gaming channels.

Mumbai: SportsBuzz11, one of India’s fantasy sports platforms, has associated with the Delhi Capitals as the official Fantasy Partner and back-of-jersey sponsor for the ongoing Women’s T20 League. The tournament is being played between 4-26 March 2023.

The SportsBuzz11 logo will be featured on the back of the match and training jerseys of the Delhi Capitals throughout the competition.

Speaking about the collaboration, SportsBuzz11’s managing director, Dashmeet Kawatra said, “This collaboration is a significant milestone for us, and we are excited to provide the best possible fantasy gaming experience to cricket fans. Let’s all cherish these moments together & pour our best wishes to Delhi Capitals and all the other teams.”

Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals CEO Dhiraj Malhotra said, “We are excited to have SportsBuzz11 on board as our official fantasy partner for the league. Their innovative and engaging fantasy platform will help us reach out to our fans in a more interactive way, and we look forward to a successful collaboration.”

On the partnership, Hawk Ecommerce co-founder Sumit Dhand said, “We are confident that this partnership will help us expand our reach and increase our user base. The Women’s T20 League is an exciting tournament, and we are thrilled to be a part of it. We look forward to working closely with SportsBuzz11 to offer a unique and engaging experience for their users.”

Hawk Ecommerce (Performance Marketing Agency) will be providing strategic support to SportsBuzz11 in multi-channel marketing campaigns and various brand engagement activities.

Mumbai: Leveraging its association with sports for positive societal and environmental impact, Mastercard has chosen 22 children to walk alongside the Indian team with potted plants ahead of the first India-Australia ODI match at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium. The initiative was part of Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition (PPC), which aims to highlight the significance of reforestation to counter climate change.

Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition unites companies, communities and consumers in climate action and includes more than 100 partners globally, including sustainably minded merchants, fintechs and global banks. Under this program, Mastercard and its partners aim to restore 100 million trees globally and one million trees in India by 2025.

“Mastercard is committed to using sports as a platform to trigger a positive change in society. People are extremely passionate about cricket in India and a majority of fans often idolise their favourite cricketing stars. That’s why Mastercard chose this occasion and selected 22 young mascots to drive an environment-first campaign. The idea behind this initiative was to take the PCC program to the masses and encourage a collective climate action,” said Mastercard VP & head marketing & communications, South Asia Manasi Narasimhan.

The Priceless Planet Coalition has 18 restoration projects globally, ensuring that Mastercard and its partner organisations are able to maximise their climate, community, and biodiversity commitments. Apart from using ecological and social metrics to make a note of the amount of carbon-neutrality generated and monitor progress on tree growth and survival rates, the PCC initiative is focused on generating jobs and improving livelihoods.

Mumbai: Rario, a cricket fan club in the world specialising in licensed digital player cards and fan experiences, has announced a partnership with the defending champions of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL), Gujarat Titans. The partnership will offer exclusive digital player cards of the team to fans across the world for a period of three years.

Cricket is one of the most popular sports globally, with T20 cricket fueling its craze and facilitating its penetration into previously unexplored markets. Rario’s partnership with the Gujarat Titans is set to cause further disruption to the sport and transform how fans interact with it.

Fans can now collect and trade unique digital cards of star players of Gujarat Titans, including Hardik Pandya and Rashid Khan, among others. With these exclusive cards, fans can enjoy a variety of benefits, including building a collection, meeting players, watching matches like a celebrity, and receiving exclusive signed merchandise, among other things.

This is the second Tata IPL team that Rario has partnered with this month, marking a significant milestone in the company’s mission to change the way fans engage with their favourite teams and players. Rario has emerged as the go-to platform for digital cricket collectibles, with partnerships with some of the largest cricket boards and leagues around the world.

The partnership between Rario and Gujarat Titans is the latest example of how digital collectibles are revolutionising the sports industry, offering fans a new level of engagement with their favourite teams and players.

Gujarat Titans COO Arvinder Singh said, “Gujarat Titans have always explored new ways to engage with the fans and facilitate greater interactions between them and the team – something Rario has revolutionised in recent times. We believe that this partnership will help us take the next step in forming a deeper connection with our supporters globally and take our fan experience to the next level.”

Rario founder & CEO Ankit Wadhwa said, “We are delighted to partner with the Gujarat Titans. Straight off the bat, the team has made a major impact on the Tata Indian Premier League and taken the cricket world by storm. We at Rario are super excited to create limited-edition digital collectibles with which fans of the Titans get rare access to the inner circle of the franchise and players like Hardik Pandya, David Miller, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Shami – just to name a few.”

Rario

Mumbai: ElClásico, the fierce rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, is widely recognised as the ultimate rivalry in all of sport. This football fixture has grown beyond the field and has become a true cultural phenomenon, drawing the attention of millions of fans worldwide. The intensity of the competition and the quality of players involved make ElClásico a spectacle that people around the world stop to watch.

In India, apart from activating digitally with its broadcaster Viacom18, –  through MTV India and Sports18’s social media channels – LaLiga has also partnered with the fan clubs of both Real Madrid & FC Barcelona to host the screenings in Mumbai at three Wise Monkey (Khar West) & Mitron (Saki Naka junction, Andheri East) respectively. In Goa, the match with be screened at Underdoggs, allowing fans the opportunity to share in the emotions of the game in a unique manner.

Through its global presence across all five continents, LaLiga will bring the ElClásico to football fans in every corner of the planet. This Sunday’s match at the Spotify Camp Nou, will be  enjoyed far beyond Spain’s borders thanks to LaLiga’s organisation of more than 52 activations in more than 28 countries including India. Teaming up with BKT Tires, LaLiga in collaboration with local and global partners, will also allow 20,000 fans to enjoy the event in-person, where they will be able to soak in the amazing community experience alongside other fans.

The ElClásico public viewing events have become legendary over recent years and there will be several huge fan fests this weekend. For example, there will be one for approximately 5,000 people in Mexico City, one for 2,000 people in Los Angeles and another for 1,000 people in Ghana. This will be over and above watch parties taking place in Brazil, Poland, Cameroon, Canada, Hungary and the United Kingdom, in addition to these in India. Even in Asia and Oceania, LaLiga is organising activations and events for the fans who are waking up early to watch ElClásico, such as a breakfast watch party in Australia. Promoting physical health, LaLiga will also be organising a 10k ElClásico fun run in Colombia, an ElClásico fun football festival in Indonesia and a youth football tournament in Uganda and much more in between.

As well as participating in these various activations and cheering for their favourite team to win the match, fans around the world will also have the chance to impact the digital scoreboard that has been created by LaLiga and BKT Tires, official global partner and a company that has spent over three decades as a pioneer in developing and producing secure, innovative, and high-performance tires for a variety of specialized industries, including agriculture, construction, earthmoving, ports, and mining

There will be various challenges and games at the activations taking place around the world and where fans of FC Barcelona and of Real Madrid will be able to earn points for their club on the “ElClásico rivalry by BKT” scoreboard. By the end of ElClásico weekend, the points won at the events all over the world will have been tallied up and it’ll become clear which fanbase had the best fans. Fans will also be able to participate online, by posting different photo and video content of ElClásico, with the hashtag #ElClásicoRM or #ElClásicoBarça to give their favourite team a chance to top the BKT Tires digital scoreboard.

Mumbai: Ahead of the TATA IPL 2023, Star Sports’ latest campaign ‘Shor On, Game On’ has taken social media by storm with viewers and fans expressing their delight. Upping the ante, the official television broadcaster of the marquee tournament has unveiled its next promo featuring none other than Virat Kohli with a clarion call – ‘Har Ghar Banega Stadium’.

IPL brings the whole country together for the love of the game and their favorite teams. Star Sports is celebrating the fans who truly make this game special. This film brings to life the IPL fan cohort called “Shor Squad” who feel that IPL is best enjoyed with grandeur and shor. They truly live the maxim of ‘More the fans, more the Shor, thus more the excitement’.

The promo, created and conceptualised by TILT, highlights the experience and the thrill of watching IPL along with friends and family. King Kohli invites fans to watch the marquee tournament on TV along with friends and family, transforming every house into a stadium.

Speaking about the promo film, Virat Kohli said “The Star Sports ‘Shor On, Game On’ campaign captures the essence of what makes the TATA IPL so special – the passion, the energy, and the sheer joy of fans watching the game together with friends and families. The campaign encourages fans to be loud and proud as they cheer for their favourite teams, creating an atmosphere that is electric, filled with excitement, and where the passion for the game shines through.”

Disney Star head-sports Sanjog Gupta said, “Fans love watching sports because of how immersive, emotional, and communal the experience is. Star Sports’ brand of storytelling focuses on building compelling narratives, bringing fans closer to the heroes, and elevating micro-moments of awesomeness. This, complemented by the ease of access, virtues of viewing on the big screen, and introduction of new features on TV, make Star Sports the most preferred destination for IPL 2023.”

“Virat Kohli has personified Star Sports’ philosophy of ‘Believe’ for many years. His long-standing association with the brand is testament to our shared values of determination, excellence, and a relentless pursuit of greatness. His character and drive have inspired a generation of youngsters while his persona galvanises Cricket fans across the country.  We are glad to add a new chapter to this association with Virat, which seeks to bring people together to experience the spectacle of IPL in its full glory only on TV” he added. 

Star Sports will unveil more films featuring top cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja along with winners of #FanBanegaStar contest leading to the start of the mega tournament. TATA IPL 2023 will kickstart on 31st March 2023, with a blockbuster clash between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad at Narendra Modi Stadium.

Mumbai: Royals Sports Group-owned franchise Rajasthan Royals has announced energy solutions provider, Luminous Power Technologies as the team’s Title Sponsor for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which is set to begin from 31 March 2023. As part of the association, the power and solar solutions brand’s logo will appear on the front of the Rajasthan Royals’ official playing kit and training kit.

With the motto of providing customer delight through innovation & passion with a focus on execution & teamwork, Luminous Power Technologies has been a trustworthy number one energy solutions super brand that offers a wide range of innovative products and solutions in the energy, power back up and residential solar space. Luminous Power Technologies is pioneer in inverter and battery technology including recent launches of Lithium Ion based inverter premium designed ultra charge batteries, icon inverter series and powerhouse high-capacity inverter series for homes and offices. Meanwhile, the winners of the inaugural edition of the IPL, Rajasthan Royals, are known for their innovative and pioneering approach which is married with the extensive use of technology to achieve results on the field.

Commenting on the association, Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum said, “Luminous is a brand driven by innovation and technology which is central to what drives success for our franchise. Countless synergies have emerged as we’ve deepened our discussion around this partnership with innovation and sustainability being a core focus of both brands. We are incredibly excited about the impact we can achieve together and look forward to helping Luminous strengthen their national and global footprint through various campaigns during the season and beyond.”

Luminous Power Technologies MD and CEO Preeti Bajaj quoted: “With over 35 years of expertise in creating innovative and technology driven products for our consumers, Luminous is one of the most reputed and reliable brands in India. This exciting partnership with Rajasthan Royals provides us with the opportunity to keep scaling and creating a tangible impact on our current and potential consumers. We have been associated with cricket in the past through other associations, and with this partnership with Rajasthan Royals, we aim to reaffirm our commitment to innovation and technology, and also promote exponential growth for the business leveraging the Royals’ domestic and global presence.”

Sr VP and chief strategy, transformation and marketing officer Neelima Burra added, “Luminous is a number one brand in the energy solutions market. With the evolution of power quality, power consumption, and per capita income in India, power back-up needs have been marking a shift towards residential solar as well as higher KVA ranges and Luminous is on a mission to accelerate growth in coming years, shaping the Luminous of Future – Luminous 3.0. A range of strategic initiatives have been laid out across businesses and brands to drive this transformation journey and position Luminous as a global prosumer-tech player that is Transforming the world of sustainable energy and Powering happier homes. IPL and RR collaboration is very valuable as it will help us strengthen our brand in India in every household in India”.

Through its philanthropic arm – the Royal Rajasthan Foundation – the franchise has been working to enable opportunities for empowered women in Rajasthan for equitable access to water, livelihoods and mental health interventions, while also providing access to solar energy. Luminous aims to transform the world of energy with its technology and innovation. The ongoing women’s day campaign #WomenInEnergy aims to reduce the gender gap in the energy sector and provide equal opportunity for women powering happier homes. Luminous commitment to enriching education for girls, creating livelihood, and a green environment to live in, there are numerous synergies for both the brands given the Royals’ ambition of impacting society with cricket as the vehicle.

The Rajasthan Royals squad, which includes international and domestic stars from across the world who have been at the forefront of using technology and innovation in their game, will be kick-starting their 2023 campaign in Hyderabad on 2 April.

Mumbai: For the second time this season, the FC Barcelona shirt is to be used to celebrate musical creativity in association with its main partner, Spotify. After Canadian singer-songwriter Drake’s logo appeared on the shirt for the game against Real Madrid on 16 October, the logo of MOTOMAMI, the latest album by the most international Catalan singer of the moment ROSALÍA, will be appearing on the players’ chests for the Clásico at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday 19 March.

The women’s team will also be joining this celebration of ROSALÍA’s music and success by doing likewise when they play Real Madrid on Saturday 25 March at the Estadi Johan Cruyff. 

The Club and Spotify have published on their respective social media platforms audiovisual content to introduce the event to the fans. One of these pieces of content is a short video in which a groundsman at Spotify Camp Nou is seen losing control of his line painting machine which goes on to draw the MOTOMAMI logo on the pitch.

One year of MOTOMAMI

Spotify, the most popular subscription-based audio streaming service in the world, is transferring its special place on the Barça shirt as part of the strategic partnership with the club that is pursuing ways to offer new and innovative experiences to football fans, while also using music to reach new audiences. The deal also offers a global platform for artists to create new opportunities for connection with their fans around the world. 

Barça and Spotify have picked ROSALÍA because it is a year ago this month that her album MOTOMAMI was launched, a record that has stretched the boundaries of contemporary music. Her third studio album was met with international critical acclaim, and among many other distinctions was named Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album at the 65 Grammy Awards. The project features such tracks as ‘Despechá’, ‘La fama’, ‘Saoko’ and ‘Bizcochito’, which has become an anthem for the young generation and has been played several hundred million times on Spotify. 

ROSALÍA was the top streamed born Spanish territory artist worldwide on Spotify in 2022, and plays of her songs on the service increased by 110 percent year over year. In 2022 she was the most played female artist in the city of Barcelona.

Spotify and FC Barcelona would like their respective fans to be able to treasure ROSALÍA’s appearance on the shirt forever, and have therefore created two limited edition collections. 

The first is one for which just 1899 units are being produced, with the MOTOMAMI logo on the front and ROSALÍA’s name on the back together with the number one, thus honouring this first anniversary. These garments cost 399.99 € and they will be available in men’s and women’s versions from Wednesday 15 March from the Barça Stores at Spotify Camp Nou, Madrid and T one at Barcelona Airport, and also via the club’s e-commerce service. 

The second option is a limited edition, exclusive glow in the dark shirt, of which only 22 units will be going on sale, 11 for men and 11 for women. What makes them so unique is the glow-in-the-dark lettering. Each of the shirts is numbered from 1 to 11 and will be signed by the players who start the respective Clásico matches. Each jersey costs 1999.99 € and they will go on sale from Wednesday 15, only via the club’s e-commerce service.

Strategic partnership 

The alliance between FC Barcelona and Spotify began on July 1 of last year as part of the Club’s strategic goal of proactively sourcing partners that share its own defining values and philosophy, while also maintaining its world-leading position both on and off the field of play in an increasingly more competitive environment. 

FC Barcelona VP Juli Guiu stated, “Yet again our collaboration with Spotify has taken things to the next level. Seeing such a renowned artist as ROSALÍA on the beloved Barça jersey is a wonderful surprise for our fans around the world. Music and football form a special partnership with a long future ahead of them and we are happy to add another chapter to the story alongside the world’s most popular music streaming platform, Spotify”. 

Spotify VP partnerships Marc Hazan said,“We’re honoured to give up our space on the FC Barcelona shirt to celebrate ROSALÍA – the most streamed Spanish artist on Spotify in 2022. It’s a chance to continue the celebration of our unique partnership with FC Barcelona and continue to bring the worlds of football and music together.”

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Mumbai: Sports have the ability to transform lives and promote gender equality by encouraging resilience and self-assurance. Women in sports transcend gender preconceptions and social standards and serve as inspiring role models for the country. One such woman is Saraswathi Anand from Bengaluru, who is Network18 assistant vice president.

The 42-year-old media professional is also a powerlifter. She has cleared the 100 Kg lift at the ‘World Powerlifting Championship’ in Egypt and bagged a Gold medal. Anand marked her win on International Women’s Day, making her a true inspiration to all the women and girls around the world. 

She has been successfully managing her family and fulfilling her dreams, while positively overseeing her responsibilities as Network18 Media & Investments AVP – marketing and product (language cluster). Anand has also won numerous more national championships, including Silver at the 2021 WPC Nationals, Gold at the 2022 Pro League Nationals, and Gold at the 2022 WPC Nationals.

A mother of 11-year-old twins, Anand always aspired to lead by example for her kids, by taking positive steps in her professional and personal journey which would inspire them. Reflecting on her latest achievement, Anand expressed her gratitude for the unwavering support she received from both her family and colleagues at Network18. She added, “This achievement is the sum of hard work and support extended to me by my family and my colleagues at Network18. Their encouragement allowed me to push myself forward and win the top prize. Network18 gave me enough flexibility to balance my work life, home and powerlifting all at the same time. From adapting work to my training schedules and allowing work from home during special training sessions, I am grateful for the support from the organisation.”

Mumbai: Equitas Small Finance Bank has partnered with T20 team Royal Challengers Bangalore aka RCB as their ‘Proud Banking Partner’ for the 2023 season of T20 league. This is to further add the bank’s brand ethos of being “The Progressive Bank behind Progressive Champions” and aligns with RCB’s all-time motto of being the progressive players in the game.

The RCB team will don the Equitas Small Finance Bank logo on the lead trousers as part of the team’s jersey. This partnership campaign will be aimed to communicate that Equitas has been playing a progressive role in transforming the lives of individuals through their lending and social responsibilities of ‘Beyond Banking’.

Equitas customers in Bangalore primarily enjoy some of the key benefits like higher interest on savings and FDs/RDs, contactless video KYC service, no maintenance charges on savings accounts, free online fund transfers and so on. These offerings aim to motivate the savers’ segment and build stronger communities, phygitally across India in a seamless and agile manner.

Equitas Small Finance Bank Sr president and country head Murali Vaidyanathan said, “Equitas Small Finance Bank is excited to partner with a team like Royal Challengers Bangalore, which has a huge fan-following across the world. RCB takes pride in their synergy with fans, and this is also aligned to the core values of Equitas of taking pride in performance and synergies. While the team is renowned to have the favourite faces of the cricket industry, the team is also known to have recorded the highest totals and viewership out of all teams across 15 seasons. Through this association, we are happy to show our support to this progressive team and fellow citizens who have faith in RCB as champions. The brand partnership promotes our campaign ‘Progressive Bank behind Progressive Champion’ through cricket – the mode of entertainment that nourishes our relationship with the customers with engagement. We are a new-age bank that goes beyond banking to understand the evolving needs of the customer through an ideal platform to build a sustainable society and a responsible tomorrow.”

Speaking on the occasion, Royal Challengers Bangalore VP and head Rajesh Menon said, “We are pleased to partner with Equitas, a leading financial player, with a history of investing in cricket. We look forward to executing a mutually beneficial partnership that lasts for a long -term.”

At present, Equitas has 10 branches across Bangalore serving over 1.7 lacs happy customers with the help of 170 employees and looks forward to further strengthening the relationship with the RCB supporters in and around Bangalore.