Category: Sports

Sony records 41 million TV viewers for PVL maiden season

Mumbai: The inaugural season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League (PVL) reached 41 million television viewers across 24 games, according to data shared by broadcaster Sony Sports Network. The season concluded when Kolkata Thunderbolts defeated Ahmedabad Defenders on 27 February.

Seven teams including the Ahmedabad Defenders, Bengaluru Torpedoes, Calicut Heroes, Chennai Blitz, Hyderabad Black Hawks, Kochi Blue Spikers and Kolkata Thunderbolts participated in the month-long competition that took place in Hyderabad.

The matches were broadcast by Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV in India, while Willow TV telecast the matches internationally in the US. The league was also streamed live on Facebook outside the Indian subcontinent.

“The first season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League has had a successful start with the tournament being live telecast in five languages and attracting a host of advertisers in its inaugural edition,” said Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer distribution and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul. “In spite of clashing with multiple sporting events taking place at the same time, the league managed to hold its own with 41 million viewers. With a large number of volleyball fans in the country and the appealing format of the league, it has the potential to attract more fans & grow even more.”

The league managed to reach 84 million fans across India, along with over five million engagement from audiences around the world through various digital platforms, said the statement. The social channels through which the league was promoted included Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

The regional audience was also reached through social media platform Sharechat and its short video platform Moj. In total, the videos distributed across social media platforms garnered over 43 million views.

“We were confident that we would get decent numbers on television, but the digital numbers are just unprecedented,” said Baseline Ventures managing director Tuhin Mishra. “The athleticism and high adrenaline action have really captured a substantial fan base among younger viewers, and that reflects in the huge number of videos consumed online. It’s a great sign for the league and the sport of volleyball. The viewership of the RuPay Prime Volleyball also reflected gender inclusivity with 43 per cent of the viewers being female.”

Spectators from 27 different countries engaged with and viewed the Prime Volleyball League during the first season, shared the company.

March 19, 2022
Premier League: Disney Star renews broadcast rights for next three seasons

Mumbai: Disney Star has renewed its exclusive broadcast rights for the Premier League for the next three seasons until 2025 for the Indian sub-continent. With this, the broadcaster’s association with one of the world’s biggest football leagues will span over two decades now.

“Disney Star will continue to grow the viewership of the Premier League across the Indian sub-continent by broadcasting all 380 matches across the Star Sports Network and on Disney+ Hotstar,” said the broadcaster in a statement on Monday.

“We are delighted to continue our association with the Premier League and look forward to the collaboration over the next three seasons. Our joint efforts have seen viewership for the league grow manifold and we remain committed to widening its popularity as well as deepening the affiliation for its clubs,” said Disney Star head – sports Sanjog Gupta. “With Premier League and the Indian Super League, we are home to the two most popular football leagues in India and will continue our e

endeavour to grow football fandom in the country.”

Disney Star claims to have grown the viewership for Premier League over 10 times in the past six years. From making the content available in additional regional feeds — Malayalam and Bangla, to creating country-specific campaigns over the years and organising on-ground activations like Select FC Screenings and Trophy Tours, it has undertaken various initiatives to increase the League’s fan base.

“The Premier League is delighted to announce an extension of our exciting association with Disney Star,” commented Premier League chief media officer Paul Molnar. “They will be an outstanding home for the Premier League over the next three seasons and we look forward to working together to showcase the League to new and existing fans throughout the Indian sub-continent.”

March 14, 2022
Star Sports celebrates Tata IPL’s return to summer window in new campaign

Mumbai: Star Sports, the official broadcaster of IPL has launched #YehAbNormalHai campaign featuring MS Dhoni to celebrate the return of the League to its original summer window. With a brand-new title sponsor and the addition of two new teams, the Tata IPL 2022 is all set to hit the Indian shores on 26 March.

Directed by Vasan Bala, the campaign features MS Dhoni as a bus driver who has parked the bus in the middle of a busy road. The traffic policeman arrives at the scene and questions Dhoni’s actions, to which he responds by saying that he is watching an intense IPL game. The cop treats this as a usual occurrence, and drives away reinstating the fact that such fandom is normal for IPL matches.

Star Sports will release the campaign film in seven languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali and Gujarati.

Disney Star head – sports Sanjog Gupta said, “The Tata IPL 2022 campaign seeks to recruit millions of TV viewers and digital users across the country. Structured in four phases, the campaign turns the spotlight on fan frenzy and unique situations typically associated with the tournament as well as the distinct proposition of this year’s edition. #YeAbNormalHai adequately represents this, tying it with the social context of people discovering a “new normal” in their lives. The launch phase of the campaign strives to create a sense of excitement for the start of the 15th season, which promises to be the biggest ever.”

Tata IPL 2022 will begin on 26 March, 2022.The 10 teams have been divided into two groups and will play a total of 14 league matches (seven home matches and seven away matches) totaling 70 league matches, followed by the playoffs and finals.

March 5, 2022
Sony Sports to broadcast Friendship Cup UAE 2022 on 5 March

Mumbai: Sony Sports Network is all set to broadcast the Friendship Cup UAE 2022 on 5 March. The tournament comprising seven T10 matches will bring cricket and Bollywood fans together as top Bollywood stars go head-to-head with cricket legends at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

All matches will be broadcast live on Sony Six and Sony Six HD channels.

The Friendship Cup UAE will see cricket legends and Bollywood celebrities divided into India Legends, Bollywood Kings, Pakistan Legends, and World Legends 11. This integration of cricket and Bollywood in the shortest format of cricket will engage viewers as they look forward to watching their favourite stars on the pitch once again.

While India Legends will see participation from the likes of Mohammad Azharuddin, Mohammad Asaduddin, Saba Karim, and Nayan Mongia; Suniel Shetty, Sohail Khan, and Aftab Shivdasani will be the prominent names playing for Bollywood Kings. Pakistan Legends will have Imran Nazir, Salman Butt, and Yasir Hameed among others and World Legends will feature cricket greats like Tillakaratne Dilshan, Ajantha Mendis, Brendan Taylor, and Abdul Razzak.

March 4, 2022
Blockchain companies investing in sports sponsorship projected to reach $5 bn by 2026: Report

Mumbai: There were 2,254 publicly announced e-sports sponsorship deals globally in 2021 compared to 1,785 in 2020 making it one of the fastest growing segments of the global entertainment industry. The data was provided by Nielsen Sports’ 2022 global sports marketing report titled ‘Fans are changing the game.’ The female e-sports fan base grew by 19 per cent, while the male fan base grew by 12 per cent, it said.

Interestingly, Blockchain companies investing in sports sponsorship is projected to reach $ five billion by 2026. This represents a projected 778 per cent increase in sports sponsorship from the crypto, blockchain and NFT brand category.

Nearly 40.7 per cent of global sports fans now stream live sports through digital platforms. This has led to the increase in over-the-top (OTT) media rights which includes a 19 per cent jump for the top European football leagues over the last two years at the local level, and a 31 per cent increase forecasted for the men’s tennis ATP Tour through 2023.

Sports viewership has become a multi-screen experience with 47 per cent of people who watch sports simultaneously interacting with other live content (increase by five per cent over the last year). The demand for content overall remains high with non-event broadcasts, such as highlights, recap videos, and more, nearly as high as the event itself. Nielsen estimates that 39.4 per cent of global fans will watch non-live content related to a live sports event.

Nielsen estimates there was a 146 per cent year-over-year rise in unbundled sponsorship investment in women’s sports (UEFA, FIFA, World Rugby) compared to a 27 per cent rise in 2020. With more women’s sports being televised, there are now increased sponsorship opportunities specific to women’s sport, which means that many brands are effectively reaching consumers that weren’t previously reached through sponsorships in men’s sport.

Among other key findings of the 2022 Nielsen Sports Report, sports sponsorships were up 107 per cent in 2021, and through an analysis of 100 sponsorships in seven markets across 20 industries, Nielsen found that they drove an average 10 per cent lift in purchase intent among the fanbase.

Overall, Nielsen’s 2021 Trust in Advertising Study showed that 81 per cent of global respondents either completely or somewhat trust brand sponsorships at sporting events. Athletes have shown a higher potential to establish connections with fans, with 26 per cent of avid sports fans who use social media for sports news saying that athletes are a great way to connect with brands and sponsors.

The Nielsen report reveals the new behaviours that fans have adopted during the pandemic to connect with the sports and teams they follow, whether through increased social media activity, betting, co-watching, or more. By outlining how Nielsen predicts ‘Fandom’ in 2022 will impact sports sponsorship models, content distribution, the rise of crypto, esports and women’s sports, it will help contextualise the value of sports partnerships, helping brands and sports properties predict the future value of media assets and marketing investment ROI.

“From our work as a data-driven company and by surveying thousands of fans, it is clear to see that sports fans demand new types of content driven by innovative delivery platforms. In turn this impacts how rights holders and brands should approach audience engagement and sponsorship outcomes,” said Nielsen Sports MD international Marco Nazzari. “With sponsorship sophistication rising, measuring effectiveness at every step is now expected by brands. Predicting ROI and sales lift will be key for sports rights holders to remain relevant and secure marketing budgets from brands going forward.”

“As traditional and digital worlds merge, the sponsorship life cycle is now broadening, creating additional and more well-rounded monetisation opportunities. It will become vital for brands to leverage new technology and utilise digital platforms to develop fan-engagement strategies that didn’t exist before in linear broadcasting. The fan is now the catalyst for huge change,” Nazzari further said.

The full report can be accessed here

March 3, 2022
Star Sports unveils #HamaraBlueBandhan campaign to support women’s cricket team

Mumbai: Star Sports has unveiled a new campaign called #HamaraBlueBandhan to rally the nation behind the Indian Women’s cricket team. The first campaign film of the series is dedicated to the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 that will begin airing from 4 March.

India’s journey in the tournament will begin on 6 March at 6:30 a.m against arch-rivals Pakistan. “The campaign aims to epitomize the spirit of cricket and bring to life the bond that cricketing fans across India have with the Women in Blue,” said the statement.

The film picks up from India’s heart-breaking loss in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 finals against England and highlights how close the team has come to becoming world champions. “The fandom and support for the Women in Blue has increased many folds since the 2017 finals and the sport has given rise to many new heroes making them household names. The upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 will be India’s chance to go one step further and become world champions,” said the statement.

“We are delighted to host the Women’s World Cup across Star Sports & Disney+ Hotstar, showcasing the premier event to millions of cricket fans across the country,” said Disney Star head – sports Sanjog Gupta. “The exemplary performance of the Indian team coupled with our continued efforts to popularise Women’s Cricket had seen the T20 World Cup in 2020 shatter viewership records. The growing popularity of women’s cricketers serves as an inspiration for everyone, but especially for young girls to enter the field of sports. The #HamaraBlueBandhan campaign seeks to bind Cricket fans together to rally behind the Indian team as it embarks on a 12-month journey of conquering world Cricket starting with the WWC 2022. We wish the women in blue the very best and are sure they will continue to inspire us with their journeys.”

The team India ODI captain Mithali Raj, along with the experience of Jhulan Goswami, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur among others will look to lead India to its maiden Women’s World Cup triumph on 6 March at the Bay Oval, Tauranga in New Zealand.

March 2, 2022
Sony Sports to telecast Australia tour of Pakistan on 4 March

Mumbai: Sony Sports Network is all set to broadcast the Australia tour of Pakistan 2022. The series, that comprise three tests, three ODIs and a one-off T20I match, will have a live broadcast on Sony Six and Sony Six HD channels from 4 March as well as livestreamed on OTT platform Sonyliv.

The series will see India’s fiercest rivals face each other as Pakistan prepares to host Australia after 24 years. The reigning ICC T20I champions Australia recently defeated Sri Lanka 4-1 in a five-match T20I series held in Australia. Meanwhile, Pakistan, under captain Babar Azam has seen a series of strong performances in the recent past.

Australia’s lineup will boast the likes of Aaron Finch, Pat Cummins, David Warner, and Mitchell Starc while Pakistan’s squad will be led by Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Azhar Ali to name a few.

The series has also attracted the interest of brands with FairPlay News, Layer’r Shot and Dafa News coming onboard.

March 2, 2022
SPNI to broadcast Davis Cup tie between India-Denmark on 4 and 5 March

Mumbai: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has acquired the exclusive media rights to broadcast Davis Cup tie between India and Denmark on 4 and 5 March.

As part of the deal signed with the All India Tennis Association, SPNI will broadcast the tournament on Sony Ten 2 channels across India and the subcontinent including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well as live-stream the tournament on their OTT platform, SonyLIV.

The Davis Cup World Group play-off tie between India and Denmark will be played at Delhi Gymkhana Club’s grass court. Under the leadership of captain Rohit Rajpal and mentorship of coach Zeeshan Ali, the Indian team comprises Ramkumar Ramanathan, Yuki Bhambri, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan. Denmark will feature Mikael Torpegaard, Johannes Ingildsen, Christian Sigsgaard and Elmer Møller.

The Davis Cup matches are scheduled to start from 4 March, with a 15-minute opening ceremony, followed by the final day of the Indian leg on 5 March.

“We are pleased to acquire the media rights of the highly anticipated Davis Cup Tie between India and Denmark,” said SPNI chief revenue officer distribution and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul. “With India being the host for the tournament, tennis fans in India are looking forward to watching Team India serve up Denmark with the home ground advantage. Our viewers will get to cheer on top Indian players like Rohit Rajpal, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Yuki Bhambri, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan who will be playing for their country.”

March 1, 2022
Ultimate Kho Kho inks three-year deal with Rise Worldwide

Mumbai: Ultimate Kho Kho has signed Rise Worldwide as its exclusive broadcast production partner and league consultant in a three-year deal.

Rise will work closely with Ultimate Kho Kho to give the game a makeover and make it more viewer friendly. It will help create standard operating procedures from the TV broadcast perspective in terms of presentation such as the look and feel of the game, duration of the game, grooming and training players and experts and sponsor integration.

“The motive is to create a brand that builds on all elements within the league and helps develop the sport year on year with exclusive and well researched enhancements,” said the statement. “This partnership will leverage the extensive experience Rise has with regard to building and sustaining leagues, to establish brand Ultimate Kho-Kho in the sports landscape of India.”

“Our emphasis is to bring forth Kho-Kho’s new avatar and make it popular among the masses,” said Ultimate Kho Kho CEO Tenzing Niyogi. “We are delighted to welcome RISE Worldwide on-board. The game changes within seconds in this sport. It prepares the players to respond swiftly and in a different way, making them as dynamic as the sport itself. And this partnership will put major emphasis on the versatility within the coverage and creativity in providing uniqueness to different segments in the broadcast. I am also confident that with the coming together of Ultimate Kho Kho and RISE Worldwide, Kho-Kho is ready to take over India and the globe.”

“We are excited to partner with Ultimate Kho Kho and take the game, which has been played in rural India for centuries, to the world stage,” said Rise Worldwide head of broadcast James Rego. “Viewers would get to see kho-kho in a stunning new avatar which will inspire youngsters and help grow the sport.”

He added, “High on pace, high on strategy, the enhanced version of this game will make for an interesting, high-octane viewing experience through our world-class production expertise, leveraging our multi-sport brand experience, multilingual content to lend thrill and intrigue to a fast-paced sport, engaging the audience. We are committed to working closely with the team at Ultimate Kho Kho to make watching kho-kho a world-class experience.”

Ultimate Kho Kho has signed Sony Pictures Networks India as its official broadcast partner and the league’s live action will be available on SPNI’s sports channels as well as on its OTT platform SonyLIV in English, Hindi and multiple regional languages.

February 22, 2022
Australian Open 2022: 22 million viewers tune in to Sony Sports

Mumbai: The 2022 Australian Open, the first grand slam of the calendar year, has recorded the highest viewership in recent years with 22 million viewers across Sony Sports Network channels, the media company announced on Tuesday.

Tennis fans witnessed history with Ashleigh Barty becoming the first Australian in 44 years to win a grand slam at home and Rafael Nadal for the record 21 grand slam singles titles.

The men’s singles final between Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev, which lasted for almost six hours was the most-watched men’s grand slam final to date with almost five million viewers, said the sports network in a statement.

The top markets for Australian Open viewership were Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it added.

(Source: BARC CS 2+ All India U+R, Sony Sports Network)

February 15, 2022