ITV

Category: Sports

  • Volleyball Federation of India partners with Eurosport India for IVL

    Volleyball Federation of India partners with Eurosport India for IVL

    Mumbai: Volleyball Federation of India on Monday announced its partnership with Eurosport India for the inaugural season of the Indian Volleyball League (IVL). Tentatively scheduled to kickstart around June-July, the IVL will be the premier volleyball league in the country, sanctioned both by the Asian Volleyball Confederation and International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

    The IVL also proposes to have six to eight new franchisees representing various cities across India. The teams will have a mix of top players from the Indian national team along with talented players from various states as well as a host of top international players in its roster for the inaugural season.

    “We are delighted to be playing a role in popularising the fast-paced exciting sport of Volleyball across India and helping Indian volleyball reach to sports fans across the globe,” said Discovery Inc head of Eurosport India and distribution- South Asia Ruchir Jain. “The Indian Volleyball League is definitely the future that the sport deserves, and we are not only excited to play our part in this but also would commend the Volleyball Federation of India for their vision in making Indian volleyball truly global in nature.”

    The proposed Indian Volleyball League will be an annual feature in the global volleyball calendar. The process of applying for ownership of new franchises through the official website of the Indian Volleyball League & Volleyball Federation of India will be announced soon.

    “It is a momentous occasion for Indian Volleyball, and we are thrilled to have a globally respected brand like Discovery on board with us. Together we aim to uplift the sport’s standard in the near future as one of top international volleyball leagues globally,” commented Volleyball Federation of India MP and president prof (Dr) Achyuta Samanta.

    Apart from the Eurosport India channel, viewers will also be able to live-stream the league on discovery+ app.

  • Tata IPL Auction 2022: Ishan Kishan fetches highest bid, joins MI for Rs 15.25 cr

    Tata IPL Auction 2022: Ishan Kishan fetches highest bid, joins MI for Rs 15.25 cr

    Mumbai: Indian batter Ishan Kishan became the highest-paid cricketer at the two-day Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 Player Auctions which concluded in Bengaluru on Sunday.

    Kishan also emerged as the most expensive wicket-keeper in the IPL auctions so far, and the second-highest-paid Indian cricketer in IPL auctions after Yuvraj Singh who had won the highest bid at Rs 16 crore.

    As many as 204 new players, including 67 overseas players were sold with the ten franchises splurging close to Rs 5.52 billion at the mega auctions. Two new teams, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants who are gearing up to make their debut this season also entered the bidding war for the first time.

    The event saw some of the brightest bigwigs of world cricket go under the hammer. Wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan witnessed intense bidding, with Mumbai Indians winning the final bid. Deepak Chahar returned to CSK for Rs 10 crore and became the most-expensive Indian pace-bowler to be ever-bought at the IPL Auction.

    Young Indian cricketers dominated the mega auctions this year, while several international cricketers went unsold. Delhi Capitals’ right-handed batter Shreyas Iyer was also among the highest-paid cricketers and joined Knight Riders for a whopping Rs 12.25 crore. Apart from Iyer, other Indian players including Harshal Patel, Krunal Pandya, Shikhar Dhawan, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar also saw intense bidding.

    The new entrant Lucknow Super Giants clinched all-rounder Deepak Hooda for Rs 5.75 crore, West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder for Rs 8.75 crore, Manish Pandey for Rs 4.6 crore, Quinton De Kock for Rs 6.75 crore, and Krunal Pandya for Rs 8.25 crore. Gujarat Titans clinched Jason Roy for Rs two crore, Indian pacer Mohammad Shami for Rs 6.25 crore.

    Australian bowler Pat Cummins who fetched a whopping Rs 15.5 crore to be the most expensive buy at the 2020 IPL auction and was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ side for the last two seasons will continue with KKR for Rs 7.25 crore. Kolkata Knight Riders also claimed Nitish Rana for Rs eight crore.

    Liam Livingstone, Wanindu Hasiranga, Nicholas Pooran, and Lockie Ferguson were some of the international players who made merry at the auctions. Avesh Khan became the most expensive uncapped player in the history of the IPL, thanks to Lucknow Super Giants which made the winning bid of Rs 10 crore.

    Harshal Patel joined Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 10.25 crore, after attracting huge bids from other teams. Shimron Hitmyer will also join him and play for RCB for Rs 8.5 crore, alongwith Faf Du Plessis for Rs seven crore.

    Chennai Superkings (CSK) retained DJ Bravo for Rs 4.40 crore, Robin Uthappa for Rs 2 crore. Punjab Kings bought Kagiso Rabada for Rs 9.25 crore. Rajasthan Royals clinched Devdutt Paddikal for Rs 7.75 crore, Trent Boult for Rs eight crore, R Ashwin for Rs five crore. Delhi Capitals won David Warner for Rs 6.25 crore. Sunrisers Hyderabad brought Washington Sunder into the team for Rs 8.75 crore after aggressive bidding.

    Steve Smith, Suresh Raina, David Miller, Matthew Wade, Mohammad Nabi were some of the players who remained unsold. The first day’s proceedings were halted for an hour after auctioneer Hugh Edmeades collapsed on stage, and resumed with former cricketer Charu Sharma taking the stage. 

  • Sony Sports introduces Telugu, Tamil commentary for UFC numbered events

    Sony Sports introduces Telugu, Tamil commentary for UFC numbered events

    Mumbai: Sony Sports Network has announced that it will live telecast Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) numbered events including title fights, in four languages with the launch of Tamil and Telugu language commentary.

    UFC 271 will start airing from 13 February on Sony Ten 2 in English, Sony Ten 3 in Hindi, Sony Ten 4 in Tamil and Telugu, as well as live-streamed on Sonyliv.

    “The initiative from Sony Sports network to serve a wider base of viewers across multiple markets signals the continuing explosive growth of UFC viewership in India,” said the channel in a statement.  

    Sony Sports Network will kickstart the live coverage of UFC 271 on their live studio show ‘Ultimate Guide to UFC’ at 7:30 a.m IST. The show is hosted by anchor Sudhi Sahdev and features panelists Somesh Kamra and Arjun Chipalkatti who will share their expert insights, analysis and expectations as a preview to UFC 271.

    The main card of UFC 271 will be live telecast at 8.30 am IST, featuring the UFC world middleweight championship. Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker will square off in a rematch over two years in the making. The co-main event matchup is between heavyweight rankers as former title challenger #3 Derrick Lewis will face off against #11 Tai Tuivasa. The main card also includes a middleweight bout between #3 Jared Cannonier and #4 Derek Brunson that could determine the next title challenger to the winner of the main event.

  • Eurosport India bags broadcasting rights for Quadrangular T20I Oman series

    Eurosport India bags broadcasting rights for Quadrangular T20I Oman series

    Mumbai: Eurosport India, Discovery Network’s premium sports brand has announced the acquisition of the broadcast rights for the upcoming Quadrangular T20I- Oman 2022 series. The tournament will be available to watch on Eurosport, Eurosport HD, and streaming platform – discovery+.

    The matches will be played in a round-robin format where the four teams will face each other over a course of four days. The series is scheduled to take place from 11-14 February, with two matches being played back-to-back on 11, 12, and 14 February. 

    The series will act as the last preparation ground for all four teams, ahead of the T20 World Cup Global Qualifier Group A, scheduled to take place later this month. Hosts Oman will play along with Ireland, Nepal, and United Arab Emirates. Among the four teams, Nepal is currently the highest-ranked at 12th place in the ICC Men’s T20I team rankings, followed by Ireland, UAE and Oman at 13th, 15th and 17th positions respectively.

    The Quadrangular T20I Oman series will start the campaign on an opening day with Ireland locking horns with the United Arab Emirates in the morning match. It will be followed by the hosts, Oman taking on Nepal.

    The Quadrangular T20I – Oman 2022 – M1 – Ireland vs UAE and Quadrangular T20I – Oman 2022 M2 – Oman vs Nepal can be watched live on Eurosport and Eurosport HD on 11 February, 11:15 a.m and 3:30 p.m onwards, respectively. The Eurosport channel can also be streamed on the discovery+ app.

  • Star Sports builds #NayaCaptainRohit narrative ahead of India-West Indies series

    Star Sports builds #NayaCaptainRohit narrative ahead of India-West Indies series

    Mumbai: The India-West Indies series including three one-day internationals and as many T20 internationals will begin on 6 February on the Star Sports network.

    Under coach Rahul Dravid, the new captain Rohit Sharma will lead team India against West Indies. The ODIs will be played at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad behind closed doors.

    Star Sports has released a new promo #NayaCaptainRohit in continuation of its #BelieveInBlueNarrative.

    “Through the aperture of this series, we want to build a larger context to galvanise support for the Indian team as the team prepares for ICC events,” said a Star Sports spokesperson. “#BelieveInBlue provides a perspective to have a continuing narrative that strings multiple tournaments of Team India. This is an important juncture for the Indian team as they return home to play their 1000th ODI under a new Captain. We wanted to bring forward the high emotions and support of fans across the country and the world who rally behind their captain and team and stand by them in this new era.”

    The series will see the return of wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has been out of competitive cricket for the last six months. On the batting front, Rajasthan’s Deepak Hooda has received a maiden ODI call-up. For the T20I series, 21-year-old wrong ‘un specialist Ravi Bishnoi earned his maiden call-up. Bishnoi, bought recently by IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants, has 24 wickets from 23 matches in the IPL with an average of 25.25 and economy rate of 6.96.

    Meanwhile, West Indies pacer Kemar Roach received an ODI recall after being out of the side for almost two-and-a-half years. Roach is among six additions to the squad that went down 2-1 at home to Ireland earlier this month. Fabian Allen makes his comeback to the 15-man squad, with Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo and Brandon King adding muscle to the batting department. Hayden Walsh Jr adds the extra spin option. The selectors will announce the T20I squad following the completion of the England series.

     

     

  • Sports not the only way to grow OTT business: Punit Goenka

    Sports not the only way to grow OTT business: Punit Goenka

    Mumbai: “Sports is not the only way to grow the OTT business,” remarked Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) MD and CEO Punit Goenka in an investor call on Wednesday. Zeel posted its third quarter financial results for the fiscal 2022. The company’s OTT platform Zee5 crossed 100 million monthly active users (MAUs) for the first time.

    While responding to a question on how acquisition of sports content will grow the OTT business, Goenka replied, “Until now we have not factored in sports in our OTT business. It is a faster way to grow the business but can it be done without sports? Certainly.”

    Streaming platform Zee5 posted impressive metrics during the quarter garnering 101.9 million MAUs and 9.6 million daily active users (DAUs) growing sequentially and over last year in terms of both MAUs and DAUs. The watch time on the platform also significantly improved to reach 201 minutes which is up by 15 minutes quarter-on-quarter. Zee5 released 51 shows out of which 11 were originals during the quarter.  The platform’s strong performance was registered on the back of a compelling slate of content launched during the quarter and enhanced user experience, said Goenka.

    Meanwhile, the merger process initiated between Sony Pictures Networks India and Zeel in December is making steady progress. The company noted that it will apply to National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) after receiving necessary approvals for its scheme by the stock exchanges. Furthermore, the company will seek the approval for the scheme from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in parallel.

    On the linear business side, all India viewership share of the network decreased by 40 bps to 17.3 per cent. During the quarter, the company launched 25+ shows across markets resulting in lower margins. “There have been significant investments in content this fiscal which in turn will reflect in our margins in the short term,” noted Goenka. “This is in line with the content strategy implemented across various genres. As we launch new shows across markets to drive viewership on the linear side we will post strong growth across viewer metrics.”

    “Advertising spending and consumer sentiment saw a significant boost in demand and we see this trend continue as we move forward,” he observed.

    Also read: Zeel reports Rs 21,126 million revenue in Q3’FY22 | Indian Television Dot Com

    Zeel posted an increase in revenues by seven per cent quarter on quarter but saw a slight decline of three per cent year on year in the third quarter of 2021. Both subscription and advertising revenues were lower compared to the same period last year.  

    “In the previous fiscal, we were recovering from a nationwide lockdown which had led to a huge pent-up demand,” explained Goenka. “On subscription revenue, the embargo on pricing has significantly impacted the overall growth across the industry. With NTO 2.0 implementation pushed to the next fiscal year, it is still too early to predict how FY 2023 will look.”

    He added, “In the last 12 months to 15 months the pay TV market has seen an erosion of 4.6 million households which have moved from pay TV to free to air and this is largely caused by the pandemic situation. That’s the cause of further degrowth in subscription revenues. The total TV business has reduced both in terms of reach and revenues on account of a slowdown in the movie business. The lack of fresh movie content for the last two years on the linear side has definitely had an impact. We’ve also had a cricket world cup which impacts movie viewership.

    Speaking about the impact of NTO 2.0 on subscription revenues he said, “It’s still too early to predict. We’re in an uncertain environment with regards to NTO 2.0 implementation. We need a 45-day window to implement and we’re already on 2 February. We must get a clear go ahead on implementation of NTO 2.0 by 15 February.”

    Zee Studios released five films during the quarter out of which one was Hindi and the rest were in regional languages. The movie business faced pandemic induced headwinds but overall opening of theatres and strong pipeline of films augured well for the movie industry at large, said Goenka. “Our studios business has a strong pipeline of films for the year ahead and we are hopeful that the third wave of the pandemic will subside soon, encouraging consumers to return to the big screen. We remain hopeful for an improvement in creative revenues for the subsequent three quarters.”  

    On the impact of the third wave, he said, “The third wave and surge of infections in 2022 could potentially have an impact on the fourth quarter results although it is too early to predict the outcome. The faster rate of recovery during this wave assures the quick resumption of services and activities across markets. We are hopeful that we will end the financial year registering steady growth across our businesses.”

    Zeel posted Rs 21,126 million in the quarter out of which advertising revenue stood at Rs 12,608 million and subscription revenue at Rs 7902 million. Zee5 posted quarterly revenues of Rs 1459 million which is up by 11.8 per cent quarter-on-quarter.

  • The idea behind PVL 2022 is to democratise Volleyball in India: Baseline Ventures’ Tuhin Mishra

    The idea behind PVL 2022 is to democratise Volleyball in India: Baseline Ventures’ Tuhin Mishra

    Mumbai: Bringing back the popular sport of Volleyball for its fans across the country after a two-year break, Rupay Prime Volleyball League (PVL) returns in its new avatar on 5 February.

    The tournament features seven franchises from seven different cities ― Calicut Heroes, Kochi Blue Spikers, Ahmedabad Defenders, Hyderabad Black Hawks, Chennai Blitz, Bengaluru Torpedoes, and Kolkata Thunderbolts, and will kick off from the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad sans any LIVE audiences. 

    With a few days to go before the maiden match, IndianTelevision caught up with sports marketing firm Baseline Ventures’ managing director and co-founder Tuhin Mishra to understand the scope for the game on TV in India, and how the brand plans to tap into the league’s viewership. “This is the very first time that the Rupay Prime Volleyball league is happening and also the first time such a professionally organised league for Volleyball is going to take place in India, so yes the excitement levels are high,” said Mishra

    Sony Pictures Network India is the official broadcaster. In another first, the telecast will be available not only in Hindi and English feeds, but also Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam across the Sony Sports network of Ten1, Ten2, Ten3, and Ten4 channels and the OTT platform, Sony Liv.

    Elaborating on the 2022 season, Mishra said, the league has been modelled along the lines of the international NBA or middle eastern Soccer, where all the seven teams are also the owners of the league. “So it’s a very interesting model that’s not been tried in India before, and which actually gives a skin in the game for all the team owners. So the team owners along with Baselines- we all decide how things need to be done and need to operate,” he added.

    Democratising the sport

    All the players in the league have played the game professionally at the highest level, and the league promises to offer high-quality volleyball action to TV audiences, which is otherwise available only during Olympics or Asian Games. “We saw this as an opportunity for a sport which has such a huge global and Indian relevance. It’s also a very economical sport. You just need a small wire and a net and you can start playing. It doesn’t need a big surface, like say, football. Additionally, it’s a non-contact sport which also looks great on Television,” added Mishra.

    Volleyball is believed to be the second biggest played team sport in the world after football and is played by 213 countries across the globe. “Volleyball has huge credence all over the country at the grassroots level- if you go to villages, towns, cities and in schools and colleges- people everywhere play the sport,” said Mishra. “During the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics, in spite of India not being in contention for the sport, the Volleyball matches which were broadcast on Sony got the highest viewership numbers, indicating that when a good quality game of Volleyball is shown, people really enjoy it.”

    Even as the sports marketing firm considers 18+ males to be the league’s target audience and its primary TG, it is also slowly beginning to draw family viewers to the game. “We saw this during the previous league three seasons back- when the finals were on, we had sold out the stadium,” he added. This time around because of Covid, the tournament will not LIVE audiences.

    SPONSORSHIPS

    The league has signed up eight sponsors so far, with Card payment network RuPay coming on board as the Title Sponsor and Fantasy games leaders A23 having signed on as “Powered By” Sponsors in a multi-year deal. Healthy food platform EatFit, Amul and Nippon Paint have come on board as associate sponsors, while Cosco has associated itself with the League as its Official Partner.

    Some of India’s noted sportspersons including PV Sindhu, Smriti Mandanna, Pankaj Advani have also come forward to support the League. The league has also tied up with Sharechat & Moj as official content partners to reach out to regional audiences.

    Talking about the viewership pattern from the 2019 season, Mishra said, the sport is garnering viewers from Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, as well as North East. “What we’ve been doing is trying to make stars out of these players. That is the basic objective. To promote and make at least four or five of them household names, which will serve as an incentive for more players,” shared Mishra. “We have also made this a very owner-driven league, where the team owners are also a part of its success or failure.”

    The players are auctioned off in a transparent process, so that anyone who wants to register can do so. Thus, the PVL now has over 450 registrations- almost four times compared to 2019 when only 105 registrations were allowed. “We need to democratise the sport,” added Mishra.

    The PVL has been shifted from Kochi to Hyderabad amid rising Covid cases in Kerala and the league is operating out of a very strict bubble, which the players have entered into 26 January onwards. The company is following international practices and SOPs with respect to bio-bubble in order to prevent any further disruptions in the game.

    “We are not looking at just one year, we need consistency for the teams and the team owners,” said Mishra. “It’s a great opportunity for Indian sports because if what we’re trying to do succeeds – that is monetise it to the best possible level wherein the teams also make money, then it could become a model for other leagues or other sports to replicate. And we would be happy to do that and share our knowledge.”

    The Rupay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 is exclusively marketed by Baseline Ventures. The teams will compete in a single round-robin format league that will feature a total of 24 matches, with the top four teams qualifying for the Semi-Finals. The grand finale is slated to be held on 27 February, culminating in three weeks of high voltage action. 

  • Sony Pictures Networks launches Sony Kal in the US

    Sony Pictures Networks launches Sony Kal in the US

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), in association with Sony Pictures Television (SPT), has launched Sony Kal Hindi, its first free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel in the US. Sony Kal is SPNI’s new general entertainment destination featuring celebrated and award-winning drama and comedy television series direct from India.

    The channel is now available on Sling TV, LG Channels and Plex, and will be available on additional platforms and services in early 2022, said the statement.

    “With Sony Kal, anyone in the US can get free access to more of our rich and vibrant premium programming on a smart TV, computer or phone,”  said SVP of international business- head of the Americas Jaideep Janakiram. “As our business continues to evolve, this launch follows the successful integration of SonyLIV on SLING and is part of our ongoing commitment to offer the best family-oriented South Asian content in high quality to viewers across multiple platforms and devices.”

    Sony Kal is available on Sling Free and as an addition to Sling international language packages at no extra cost from 26 January. It has iconic shows such as “Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin” and “Bade Achhe Lagte Hai.” The channel’s programming lineup also includes popular shows such as “Mann Mein Vishwaas Hai,” “Dr Bhanumati on Duty,” “Super Sisters,” “Shankar Jai Kishan,” and “Band Baja Bandh Darwaza.”

    “Sling and Sony have a long history of partnering to deliver compelling South Asian content to consumers in the US,” said Sling TV – VP of international Liz Riemersma. “The launch of Sony Kal on Sling is another milestone in that partnership. We are excited to provide this engaging new channel as a valuable addition for all Sling Desi customers.” 

  • Sony Sports acquires exclusive broadcast rights for 2022 Asian Games

    Sony Sports acquires exclusive broadcast rights for 2022 Asian Games

    Mumbai: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has acquired exclusive media rights for the 2022 Asian Games from November 2021 to September 2023. The media network will broadcast the 19th edition of the Asian Games on its sports channels across India and the subcontinent including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Maldives. The games will also be available to watch on its OTT platform, SonyLIV.

    The 2022 Asian Games will take place from 10 September to 25 September, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China and five co-host cities. The multi-sporting event will feature 40 sports with a total of 61 disciplines including Olympic sports like swimming, archery, athletics, badminton, equestrian, fencing, football, hockey, judo, kabaddi, and much more.

    E-sports and breakdancing will debut in the 2022 Asian Games as full medal sports after being approved by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) this year, while cricket will be back at Asian Games in T20 format.

    For the first time ever, more than 300 athletes from Oceania countries have been given the chance to compete at this year’s edition of the Asian Games. The Oceania athletes, including those from Australia and New Zealand, will be allowed to compete in five sports: triathlon, athletics, wushu, roller skating, and weightlifting.

    “The 2022 Asian Games is expected to be one of the biggest multi-sporting events in Asia this year and we are pleased to bag the exclusive media rights for India and the subcontinent,” said SPNI chief revenue officer distribution and head sports business Rajesh Kaul.

    “The 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 Organising Committee (HAGOC) would like to congratulate the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on the signing of an agreement with Sony Pictures Networks India for broadcasting rights to the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, in India,” said Hangzhou city vice mayor and HAPGOC deputy secretary-general Chen Weiqiang. “This is the first signing of a rights-holding broadcaster for Hangzhou 2022 and marks the beginning of a new phase in the distribution of such rights for the event.”

  • Eurosport India unveils its new look

    Eurosport India unveils its new look

    Mumbai: Discovery Network’s television sports channel Eurosport India has unveiled a fresh new look inspired by its mission to ‘Unlock the Power of Sport.’ This distinctive new identity will consolidate the overall look of Eurosport across platforms.

    Alongside the new visual identity, the brand is also launching a dynamic soundtrack inspired by a thumping heartbeat that depicts the raw human energy and emotion of sport for fans and athletes alike. This has been used to create a rhythmic on-air sound to accompany the new visual design.

    “Eurosport India continually strives to present its content to fans in the most compelling and engaging way. The distinctive new visual identity celebrates the unique events which are broadcast and streamed while taking audiences through the viewing experience,” said Eurosport in a statement. “The redesign will be implemented across platforms where Eurosport is available to ensure viewers continue to enjoy a consistent experience wherever they are watching.” 

    Eurosport India has several premium new sports properties lined up for its viewers in 2022. These include the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, MotoGP, Euro League, Dutch League, All Elite Wrestling, PFL, PGA Tour, Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Asian Tour among others.

    Having expanded digitally, Eurosport India can now be streamed on the discovery+ app.