Category: Sports

Mumbai: Suryakumar Yadav was announced as JioCinema’s Brand Ambassador. The association will amplify TATA IPL’s digital streaming partner’s vision of making cricket viewing synonymous with digital through a series of initiatives and social media collaborations featuring the Indian batting sensation.

Yadav, who has been one of the most prolific run-getters in white ball cricket over the past 18 months, will deepen fan engagement towards JioCinema’s digital proposition and offerings this TATA IPL.

“I am pleased to collaborate with JioCinema for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. JioCinema has been revolutionising the digital viewing experience for sports fans across the globe with their world-class presentation that is affordable and accessible. With the constant innovations on digital platforms making it a preferred option for fans, I look forward to this exciting partnership,” said Yadav.

“Suryakumar Yadav represents the same qualities that we stand for – world-class innovation, unmatched thrill and the need to keep fans entertained and engaged,” said Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj. “Our presentation of the TATA IPL will reflect Suryakumar’s flamboyant 360-degree style batsmanship, giving the consumer the whole nine yards of consuming sports on digital with no boundaries of accessibility, affordability, and language.”

The 2023 season of TATA Indian Premier League tips off March 31 with defending champions Gujarat Titans taking on MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. All matches will be live on JioCinema for no cost this season. In addition, JioCinema will offer 4K feed, multi-language and multi-cam presentation, interactivity through stats pack and Play Along feature for over 700 mn internet users through the 2023 edition of TATA IPL.

Mumbai: The Boxing Federation of India (BFI), has unveiled India’s SUV manufacturer, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. as the title sponsor for the Championships along with Mary Kom and Farhan Akhtar were announced as the brand ambassadors of the Mahindra IBA Women’s World Championships 2023, scheduled from 15 March to 26 March at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi.

India is hosting the event for the third time in the history and the country is set to be gripped by boxing fever as several pugilists are headlining the Championships.

Boxing Federation of India president Ajay Singh said, “We are delighted to welcome Mahindra Automotive as our lead sponsor. BFI and Mahindra share a common vision of women empowerment through sport and I am happy to see them as our partner in this mission. And the presence of Mary Kom and Farhan Akhtar as the brand ambassadors for the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships will add immense value to our mission of encouraging women participation in boxing. Mary Kom is a legend of our sport and Farhan Akhtar is a Bollywood icon who has made several inspiring sports movies including one about boxing. The association with these two youth icons will enhance the prestige of this World Championship and help in promoting the sport across the country. The event will also help showcase to the world India’s potential as a host for big global tournaments.”

The partnership is in line with Mahindra Group’s initiatives to empower women in fields such as sports. The partnership presents an opportunity for Mahindra to leverage significant synergies, with the XUV300 TGDi and the all-new Thar appointed as the official SUVs for the upcoming World Box Championships in 2023.  Additionally, Mahindra will be hosting exciting contests for customers to enjoy the championship and create unforgettable memories. Mahindra is proud to extend this association to Indian women boxers in their quest for glory on the global stage during the tenure of the sponsorship.

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. president automotive division Veejay Nakra said, “We are delighted to be associated with the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, which is a significant step towards promoting women’s boxing globally. We acknowledge the tremendous growth in viewership and followers of women’s boxing over the years, which highlights the strength, resilience, and toughness that women embody in the face of challenges. As a company dedicated to promoting diversity and empowering women, we are honored to be associated with this groundbreaking sport and its athletes. Our SUVs, such as the Thar and XUV300 TGDi, symbolize the tenacity and determination that women display, and we are thrilled to be a part of their journey.”

Mary Kom, a bronze medallist in the London Olympics, is the most decorated boxer in the history of Women’s World Championships, having clinched the title six times along with a silver and bronze.

“India is hosting the World Championships for the third time and it is a special and rare honour. It will underline India’s strength as a sporting nation in front of a global audience. I am delighted to be a part of this tournament and I am certain that this will be a golden page in India’s sporting history,” said Kom.

During the event, Akhtar will engage with the boxers and will spread the excitement of the tournament through his social media handles too.  

Talking about his association, Akhtar said, “I am honoured and excited to be a part of such a prestigious event. It is a matter of personal pride that India is hosting the World Boxing Championship for Women. My love for the sport goes back long before I started training for my film, Toofaan, and now to be here celebrating this event is a wonderful feeling. As an avid sport lover, I have followed the journey of our girls, cheered and applauded every time they brought glory to India in this sport! I hope that all of you will watch the exciting bouts and get inspired by these women from around the world. I would also like to give a special mention to BFI who are doing a tremendous job by encouraging and supporting women in the field of boxing. And finally, good luck to all the players participating in this event. Todun taak!”

A total of 350 plus boxers from 74 countries have registered so far for the event which has a prize pool of Rs 20 crore for the very first time.

Mumbai: Money9 will host a one-day Financial Freedom Summit (FFS) in Mumbai on 15 March.

The Financial Freedom Summit (FFS) takes place against the backdrop of Money9’s first independent countrywide personal finance survey, which was conducted late last year.

While India has made significant progress in its financial inclusion agenda over the last decade, the Money9 Personal Finance Survey discovered that we are still a long way from achieving our true goal of financial freedom for the country’s 1.4 billion citizens. The survey also identified a number of other gaps in the inclusion ecosystem.

Top policymakers, BFSI leaders, and regulators have gathered for the TV9 Financial Freedom Summit (FFS) to help close the gap. Throughout the day, they will discuss a comprehensive action plan.

The inaugural address will be given by Ms. Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Trade and Industry. Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, will deliver the valedictory address.

Nilesh Shah of Kotak MF, Radhika Gupta of Edelweiss AMC, and other eminent presenters and panellists from the Summit include,Wiseinvest CEO Hemant Rustagi, Axis Bank  Chief Economist Saugata Bhattacharya and Harsh Roongta.

Speaking about the Summit, TV9 Network MD & CEO Barun Das said, “India has truly fast tracked the financial freedom agenda during the last decade. But given the gigantic inequity that we started with, we have yet a long road to traverse. TV9 Financial Freedom Summit is a modest effort to help identify bottlenecks and recommend a mitigation plan.”

“To my mind, while the supply side has been by and large established, the demand side is yet to be fully addressed to. Our endeavour at Money9 is to play a pivotal role to help bridge the gap” Barun added.

The day-long Summit will feature power sessions and theme keynotes to drive the financial inclusion agenda.

1. Reimagining financial inclusion

2. How to leverage financial inclusion to financial security

3. How to boost India’s savings

4, What is next for Mutual funds

5. Can FinTech’s drive financial inclusion

6. How to enhance trust of small investors among others.

The Financial Freedom Summit will be featured prominently across the broadcast and digital assets of TV9 Network from 2 pm onwards on Wednesday.

Mumbai: Games24x7, India’s multi-gaming online skill gaming company, has onboarded Arshdeep Singh as a brand ambassador for My11Circle, a fantasy sports platform. Singh joins the roaster of sportspersons who are associated with My11Circle including cricketer Sourav Ganguly and others like Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj and Ruturaj Gaikwad.  

My11Circle has always been at the forefront of innovation and fan engagement, and the platform’s association with such sportspersons has only strengthened its position as a leader in the fantasy cricket space. 

Commenting on the association, My11Circle senior VP Saroj Panigrahi said, “We are delighted to welcome Arshdeep Singh to the My11Circle family. Arshdeep has impressed everyone with an amazing record and has created a distinct position for himself in the lineup of fast bowlers. His performance on the field resonates with My11Circle’s performance online, having made a mark in the fantasy sports segment within a short span of time and witnessing more than 120 per cent growth in the past year. Our success is driven by our ability to connect with a diverse set of enthusiastic Indian cricket fans who keenly follow the sport and the players. My11Circle offers fans a perfect platform for engagement and entertainment that values and rewards their skill, knowledge, and passion for the sport.”

Comment on his association with My11Circle, Singh said, “Cricket and India are synonymous and inseparable! Indian cricket fans come with deep rooted understanding of the game, the upcoming players and the dynamics that drive a team to success. My11Circle gives these fans an opportunity to explore this engagement with the sport even further. It provides a fun and competitive environment to share their passion and knowledge and is an exciting way to stay engaged with various tournaments, players, and developments in the sporting world. I’m thrilled to be partnering with My11Circle, which has become one of the most loved fantasy sports platforms in India since its launch.” 

BTS (Behind-the-scenes) :

Mumbai: Cricuru, India’s cricket ed-tech platform, has unveiled its partnership with Entrackr’s Unicorn Premier League, the country’s cricket league for unicorn companies. As the official learning partner of the league, Cricuru will leverage its innovative teaching methods, including AI integration, to enhance the skills of players and coaches alike, helping them reach their full potential and upgrade their skills. The tournament is already underway at Gurugram with 16 start-up teams worth $40 billion competing for the championship title. Legendary Indian cricketers, Virender Sehwag and Sanjay Bangar, will also be present at the finals on 19 March 2023, at Wisteria Sports Club, Gurugram.

The platform’s advanced analytics and AI-based feedback mechanism will help players identify their strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to fine-tune their skills and improve their performance on the field. With its team of experienced coaches and trainers, Cricuru is all set to further enrich Entrackr’s Unicorn Premier League.

Commenting on the partnership, Cricuru CEO Akshaara Lalwani said, “Our partnership with Entrackr’s Unicorn Premier League is an exciting opportunity as it will help showcase the platform’s true capabilities. Also, through this partnership with Entrackr’s Unicorn Premier League, we not only have the opportunity to support the growth and development of cricket in India but also to create greater brand awareness and recognition for Cricuru among the league’s audience. Through on-field and digital branding opportunities, we aim to showcase our innovative teaching methods and the value we bring to the world of cricket. We believe that this partnership will help us to reach a wider audience and demonstrate our commitment to revolutionising the way cricket is taught and played in India.”

Bangar said, “I am thrilled to be part of this association with Entrackr’s Unicorn Premier League and witness India’s top startups battle it out on the cricket field. As a former cricketer and coach, I know the significance of having access to the right training and coaching resources. Cricuru’s partnership with the league is a welcome move, and its innovative approach to teaching cricket through AI integration is commendable. I am confident that the platform will help players and coaches alike to improve their skills and enhance their performance on the field.”

Sehwag added, “Cricket is more than just a game in India – it is a passion that brings the whole country together. With Cricuru as the official learning partner of the league, I am confident that the players will have access to world-class training and coaching, helping them take their game to the next level. As someone who has been involved in cricket for a long time, I know the importance of having access to the right resources, and I believe this partnership will be a valuable asset to the teams competing in the championship.”

Speaking on the partnership, Khaitan Holdings chairman Nalin Khaitan said, “Cricket has always unified the citizens of the country and the Unicorn Premier League is a testament to that. A platform for all startups to showcase their cricketing skills, this league is going to be a breath of fresh air from the daily grind. This is the perfect opportunity for players to learn and grow, and more importantly, have fun.”

As part of its recent revamp, Cricuru now uses advanced AI integration aimed at enhancing users’ cricket learning and performance. The app’s AI tool analyses users’ moves, body structure and positioning, providing feedback for improvement. Its simulation-based training allows users to practise and hone their skills indoors or during bad weather, making it easier for them to stay physically active and improve their game. Cricuru is revolutionising the way cricket is taught and played, and its partnership with Entrackr’s Unicorn Premier League is a testament to its commitment to supporting the growth and development of cricket in India.

Mumbai: Gaming platform Vision 11 has announced its association with India’s most popular cricket franchise and four time champion Chennai Super Kings for the upcoming season.

This marks the start of a year-long association between the two most premium brands of India. Chennai Super Kings will be led by the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Founded in 2020 by visionary young entrepreneur Parth Rawal, based out of Surat, Vision 11 has emerged as one of the fastest growing fantasy gaming app. With over seven million users, Vision 11 has captured the imagination of sports loving fans. Currently, the biggest user base for the app emerges from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Jharkhand.

Under this partnership with Chennai Super Kings, Vision 11 will get a pride of place on the back of the famed team cap and helmet. Fans of the popular franchise will get to be a part of wide-ranging and engaging schemes to be launched by Vision 11 shortly ahead of the start of the 2023 season.

Vision 11 founder Parth Rawal welcomed the association and looked forward to a long fruitful partnership. “We are thrilled to be associated with India’s premium sports franchise, Chennai Super Kings. We at Vision 11 have always believed in excellence and have stressed on being associated with the best. Under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the franchise has reached new heights. We hope our association furthers the franchise’s fortunes.”

Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd CEO Kasi Viswanathan was confident that the association with Vision 11 will be able to provide a unique experience for their legions of fans.

“As a franchise we are absolutely delighted to be partnering with Vision 11 for the upcoming season. The Chennai Super Kings family welcomes Vision 11 as a valued partner. We are hopeful that through this association scores of our loyal fans get to participate in several exciting new initiatives.”

Vision 11 has on board several cricketers as their brand ambassadors including: Axar Patel, Manish Pandey, Harshal Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Abdul Samad, Umran Malik, Kieron Pollard, Mohammed Shami and Venkatesh Iyer. Apart from the cricketers, the app has associated with leading kabaddi players like Rahul Chaudhary, Pardeep Narwal, Rishank Devadiga and Rohit Kumar.

Mumbai: Adfactors United,  a cricket team of India’s PR consultancy firm, has emerged as the winner of the Public Relations’ Premier Cricket League (PRPCL) 2023, west edition, organized by the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) on 11 March 2023 at Khar Gymkhana, Mumbai.

Adfactors United set a new record of PRPCL, by scoring 131 runs in just six overs. The team entered finals with a positive net run rate of +4.77 and also, maintained the highest net run rate throughout the tournament with a difference of +2.

Satveer Khairaliya, who scored 248 runs overall, was declared the Man of the Series while also receiving two Man of the Match awards. Sushil Mhadgut also picked up the Man of the Match title, while Karthik Bangera was awarded the Fighter of the Match in the semifinals.

Adfactors PR CEO Nijay N. Nair said, “For us, sports is very deeply integrated into the cultural fabric of Adfactors PR. Be it our internal development programs or our representation in all industry-level competitions, we take the sportsperson spirit seriously. To bring the trophy home fills our hearts with pride and joy. We will continue to support our people to pursue sports just as they pursue work – with focused effort, love, and perseverance.”

Adfactors United Captain Omkar Jalgoankar said, “It is a proud moment for Adfactors PR and for all of us to win the PRPCL trophy. Our team put in a lot of hard work and effort to reach this stage, and it is an incredible feeling to emerge as winners.”

The PRPCL was an exciting event that brought together India’s best PR firms from the west region and showcased their cricketing talents. Adfactors United’s victory is a testament to their teamwork, dedication, and passion for cricket. The team is already looking forward to defending their title next year.

Mumbai: Instagram is a place where people can connect, build community and follow the things they love – and Reels is a great way to do that. Cricket is a popular youth interest in India, so the robust conversation and engagement on Instagram during the event was unsurprising. More than 150,000 Reels, with over 140 million engagements related to the matches have been created about the tournament from its start on February 10th to its end on 26 February.

For further details, visit the newsroom at https://about.fb.com/news/2023/03/india-celebrates-womens-cricket-with-a-billion-plays-on-reels-from-the-icc-womens-t20-world-cup/

Mumbai : The countdown for IPL 2023 has begun and Star Sports is leaving no stone unturned to make it the biggest ever edition on TV. The recent announcement on 12 key matches of IPL being aired on FTA channel Star Utsav movies opens up a sizable unserved audience for advertisers, making the canvas bigger than it’s ever been. The past year has seen television get bigger in India both in terms of platform scale as well viewership for Live cricket on TV. All roads are leading to Disney Star making IPL bigger and better for advertisers and more accessible to viewers across. Here’s why.

Cricket TV Viewership Scaling New Heights: Star Sports, the official broadcaster of IPL has been flagbearer of the rising cricket viewership on TV, delivering a ratings growth of 36 per cent-50 per cent across live cricket events in the last 6-8 months. In 2022, 750+ million viewers watched live sports on television, with cricket on TV contributing to 650 million of it as per BARC. The broadcaster has even broken all-time viewership records across key events in the time span.

For the first time ever, IPL goes FTA with Star Utsav Movies –12 marquee games of IPL 2023 will be broadcasted on FTA channel Star Utsav Movies, taking the league to a broader base of audiences. Star Utsav Movies is India’s third biggest channel in terms of reach with a potential of 200+ million additional audiences for brands to reach out to this IPL. The channel will boost IPL viewership on TV in the HSM region and can be a gamechanger for TV advertisers this summer.

Pay TV universe continues to grow in India: Pay TV homes have grown from 163 million in 2020 to 168 million in 2023 as per BARC and will continue to grow in the next 5 years. Cord cutting on the other hand, is merely 0.2 per cent of the overall TV universe. Additionally, 400+ million TV viewers in India cannot be accessed by digital platforms, showcasing the gulf of TV scale in comparison to digital.

IPL on HD – The Biggest Platform to Reach Premium Audiences

HD homes in India have grown to 70 million in 2023 amassing close to 200 million premium audiences, a scale 7X of connected TV. HD TV continues to remain by far the ideal platform for brands targeting premium audiences. The launch of new HD channels in Star Sports Tamil HD and Star Sports Telugu HD will empower the viewership of IPL in the southern market. HD viewership during the IPL in the South was under-indexed by almost 1/3rd due to the absence of regional HD channels which will now change with new channel launches ahead of TATA IPL 2023.  

The Power of the Disney Star Network Comes Together for IPL 2023: The league will be broadcasted LIVE on TV across the widest-ever bouquet of 22+ channels within the Disney Network which commands a market share of 30 per cent on television. Continuing its legacy of driving regional viewership, the broadcast will feature more than ten language feeds. The network has also roped in over 100 cricket experts to create a series of customised regional content that will bring the whole country together as they bond over the love for cricket.

Unparalleled Brand Impact with Cost Efficiency like no other medium: IPL on Star Sports has been a catalyst in driving brand impact for advertisers across categories. No other platform provides a launchpad for brand and product launches in India like IPL on Star Sports. Numerous brands across industries such as automobiles, mobile devices, e-commerce, consumer durables, digital payments and more have taken to IPL on TV to grow market share and build categories as well. Over the past five years, a significant 75 per cent of B2C unicorns in India and a range of brands across various categories and stages of development have effectively utilized Star Sports’ IPL coverage to achieve remarkable growth.

Dabur media head Rajiv Dubey feels television brings an ideal mix of scale and credibility. “Television is still the most credible platform with over 900 million reach which is measured through the BARC panel of 55,000 households cutting across geographies, socio-economic classes, urban, rural, mega cities etc. For IPL on Star Sports what works is that it generates viewership across the whole country and with huge spill over. Surprisingly, for many businesses spill over is good. Cost per 10 sec may seem higher because the ticket size is huge but if you compare cost per impression on TV vs any other medium it would still prove to be cost effective.”

Disney Star is taking IPL to new heights in 2023 for both viewers and advertisers. If the past few months of analyzing cricket viewership on TV is anything to go by, IPL 2023 could witness a platform reach of over 500 million a scale like no other media property or platform in India.

Mumbai:  LaLiga has begun 2023 by reaching a milestone with LaLiga Grassroots, the initiative under which it brings together the know-how, experience and projects to promote grassroots football all over the world. The project has developed more than 640 permanent and temporary projects in 48 countries including India. The programs are administered by more than 900 youth football coaches, selected by LaLiga based on UEFA Pro licensed certifications, national and international experience, and values in line with LaLiga.

Along with the development of more than 200,000 international players of various ages and levels, LaLiga has also educated 22,000 local coaches within their operations.

In India, The LaLiga Football Schools (LLFS) project that was initiated in 2018 in partnership with ‘India On Track’ has grown its impact to 10,000+ students in the country. The program is developed and administered by UEFA pro-licensed coaches from Spain and continues to provide local talent an access to global football methodology and technical training for students aged between 9 to 15 years. Furthermore, the program also develops football coaches and administrators, through international exchange of knowledge. This in turn helps in the holistic development of the players in line with LaLiga methodology encompassing four key areas: Tactical-cognitive, technical-coordinative, physical-conditional, and psycho-socio-affective.

Recently announcing the new LLFS ‘Development Program’, LLFS will continue to broaden the scope of its operation in India providing elite Under 13 & Under 15 players with advance training and competitive game time in the MDFA 2nd Division League and other official competitions. Along with the setting up of a ‘Goalkeeper School’, the commencement of the ‘West India Cup’ & a roadmap to set up India’s first ‘Development Centre’ the vision continues to be facilitators for growth of Indian talent.

Through frameworks that allow for sharing of knowledge, LaLiga has facilitated collaborations with Deportivo Alaves, Cádiz CF, Sevilla FC & Villareal CF with local Indian clubs & centers; Allowing an avenue to share training methodology & best in class practices with local grassroot facilitators.

Speaking about LaLiga’s commitment to Indian Football development, LaLiga Football Schools India technical director Miguel Casal said, “The LaLiga belief in the power of grassroots football to develop young talent is deeply rooted into the LLFS India project. Our commitment to Indian football is unwavering, and we are proud to play our part in awakening this country’s potential as a dominant player on the world stage. As we continue to work closely with our partners, India On Track, we are confident in our methodology and are pleased with the visible growth we see in our project.”

LaLiga India managing director Jose Antonio Cachaza added, “The growth and results the LaLiga Grassroots initiative has achieved on a global platform has been phenomenal. Our performance & ranking in the European region amongst the top leagues in world football is a testament to the superior methodology LaLiga has developed. In India, through the LLFS project, it is this same methodology that is in play as we continue to develop the beautiful game in the country. Completing 5 years of the LLFS project in India this year, we continue to build to better enable talent across the country to achieve their football potential.”

Link: https://laligagrassroots.com/