ITV

Category: Sports

  • ESPNcricinfo launches its latest campaign ‘SCORES SE LOT MORE’ targeted at the new age discerning cricket fans

    ESPNcricinfo launches its latest campaign ‘SCORES SE LOT MORE’ targeted at the new age discerning cricket fans

    With the announcement of IPL 2020 in UAE, cricket fans finally have a reason to rejoice. ESPNcricinfo, the go-to digital destination for all things cricket, joins the celebration with the launch of its latest campaign 'SCORES SE LOT MORE.' The new integrated campaign reinforces ESPNcricinfo's core value proposition of delivering wholesome cricket news and information and compelling match coverage and surround content; all beyond just scores for the fans. The campaign comprises a two-part film series and has been conceptualised by Dentsu India.

    With 'SCORES SE LOT MORE,' ESPNcricinfo aims to connect with the ardent fans of the game for whom cricket is more than just a sport, it is a way of life. For these true fans, cricket is in their DNA and part of their identity. It is much more than just the 22 yards or the grit of the players battling it out on the field; it's about getting a ring side view into the game. It can be as basic as the toss, or the pitch report, the team selection, wicket or the shot, turning point in a game, or an in-depth pre and post-analysis of the match. 

    Commenting on the campaign, Gaurav Thakur, Director of Marketing and Business Development at ESPNcricinfo, says, "At ESPNcricinfo we have always believed in empowering our fans with insight and reasoning. This campaign reinforces our commitment to providing an astute experience for the curious fans who love to immerse themselves in the game irrespective of where they are. These fans want to know more than just the score. They want to understand the 'what, why and how of the game.' For them, an explanation is as important as the information." 

    Gaurav adds, "I am glad that we partnered with Dentsu India. They understood what we were looking for and created quirky yet sharp films to convey ESPNcricinfo's core value proposition. I am sure the fans will be able to relate to these films."

    Talking about the campaign Indrajeet Mookherjee, President, Dentsu India says, "We are delighted to partner with ESPNcricinfo, arguably the last word when it comes to cricket. The communication task was to appeal to a younger audience and use the product strength to create a cool user persona. Young fans want to be knowledgeable but also want to be entertained. Our campaign attempts to make being knowledgeable cool in the garb of irreverence and humor and underline the brand message of separating the score seekers and the true cricket fans."

    The two-part film series uses wit and humor to strike a chord with the younger audience of 15-25-year-olds, the target audience for the campaign. The films bring alive two unique offerings of ESPNcricinfo – expert views and in-depth analysis through a situation using two cricket fans – an ESPNcricinfo fan who understands and seeks the finer details of every match, every ball and every run and a non-user. The ESPNcricinfo fan eventually bowls over the non-user with his knowledge and passion. 

    Krishna Mani, Executive Creative Director, Dentsu India believes, "There are a few times in one's career where you get to work on a product or a brand that you really love – ESPNcricinfo is just one such brand. I have been a big fan of their witty commentary and amazing articles since the platform's inception. The challenge of this project was not coming up with the idea but to stop oneself from writing more and more."

  • Uday Shankar speaks up about IPL 2020 in Covid times

    Uday Shankar speaks up about IPL 2020 in Covid times

    MUMBAI: Disney Star India chairman Uday Shankar seems to thrive in crisis moments. The ongoing pandemic seems to have brought out the best in the former journo. The world’s most prestigious and valued cricket tournament the Indian Premier League (IPL) – on which he had betted big three years ago by bidding unheard of acquisition fees – is taking place in the UAE come 19 September after it was aborted in March end.  For only the third time in its 13 years of  existence it is being held in a foreign land.

    And it's taking place in very trying circumstances:  Covid 2019 is on a rampage in India and cases are rapidly rising every day and the CSK team has reported that one of its players and many of its staffers have contracted the SARSCov2 virus – that’s even before a single ball has been bowled.

    Hence, Uday and his team are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that it runs smoothly at least from the broadcast end. Speaking to The Times of India, he said that “Star has been working on its own bio-secure bubble. The challenge that has been presented to my team is to deliver an exciting IPL, while keeping every crew member and team member totally safe from the pandemic. That remains our top priority. It’s not an easy one because there are no global role models for something like this.”

    The Disney Star India team has put in place the bio-secure bubble in Mumbai to accomodate 400-plus staffers across six floors of the production facility which has been set up for the IPL.  Staffers will be rigorously tested – pre-screened, tested before taking them in and periodic testing will be resorted during their stay in the production hub. “Stringent sanitization and social distancing protocols at production facilities and multiple zones are being set up to keep teams separated,” explained Uday. 

    He added that the same stringent Covid-related protocols will be followed for 65-70 days at the three stadiums with around 700 plus crew and around 90 commentators working across UAE, India and globally.

    The crew’s output will reach 100 countries, result in seven fully customised broadcast feeds across languages and 18 hours of daily live and special programming around the IPL, Uday further shared.

    “IPL has gone out of India twice, but this exercise is going to be phenomenal… The BCCI is the umbrella under which everybody operates, and they have a right to expect full safety and reassurance from us …The onus is on us to take the responsibility,” he said. “The protocol we’ve designed for this IPL can become a global benchmark for any tournament to be held safely….In the end, we all know, it’s a virus and anything can happen, but we would like to have a very clear conscience that we put our best foot forward.”

    Even though there won’t be spectators in the stadia in Abhu Dhabi, Sharjah and Duba, Uday expects TV viewership to cross 550 million in India across live broadcast and beyond live programming. “There’s been a massive drought of live sport. People have been in a state of mind where they need a break from the last few months and IPL is ideally positioned for that. We are very focused on making sure the fan experience at home is not impacted. Technology has only made the engagement of the fans deeper and wider,” he averred.

    Uday further highlighted that the IPL coming back could be viewed in a more positive light. “At a time when the country has been gripped by concerns, and people have mostly been spending time locked indoors, something as important to their lives as the IPL coming back is highly symbolic of the triumph of things positive over things negative,” he expounded. “IPL is India’s only global brand and one of the top sports properties globally too. This year’s IPL is a professional and personal commitment.”

  • SPSN launches campaign for the upcoming Australia tour of England

    SPSN launches campaign for the upcoming Australia tour of England

    KOLKATA: Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) is all set to honour the ‘Real Fans’ of cricket with their new campaign for upcoming Australia tour of England. It has launched two campaign films that feature Real fans vs Fake fans in real-life situations only to realise that in order to be a Real Fan it is important to watch and follow great cricket and cricketers no matter which team is playing.

    The series will be aired live and exclusive on SONY SIX and SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) channels from 4 September 2020.

    Cricket fans are already excited for the faceoff between Australia and England. This will be Australia’s first series in a new era of cricket during the pandemic.

    “Asli Fans Ke Liye is our in-house campaign for the upcoming Australia tour of England that honors Real Fans, who are passionate about great cricket and cricketers no matter which team they play for and follow ball-by-ball play purely for the love of the sport. The campaign is a shout-out to all the Real Fans of cricket whose die-hard love for cricket knows no boundaries. They not only support their own country but also go beyond boundaries to genuinely embrace the sport. The upcoming Australia tour of England features two great cricketing nations who share one of the fiercest rivalries in cricket today and a Real Fan will definitely not miss watching this high-octane series,” SPN sports business head-marketing and on-air promotions Neville Bastawalla said.

    The first film showcases Fake Fans following Jonny Bairstow’s cooking and David Warners’ foot-tapping videos that are garnering maximum views on their social media platform while Real Fans are actually following their heroes especially when they are playing their innings and making history on the pitch.

    The second film is a shoot-based film set in an office where a group of colleagues are watching a LIVE match in play. The film opens with a Fake Fan, giving his pseudo expert advice, which is factually incorrect and leads to his colleague, a Real Fan, correcting him on the match playing out on TV between England and Australia. The film ends with the Real Fan educating the fake fan on one of the fiercest rivalries in cricket today and the real drama that unfolds when England and Australia play against each other.

    India is a cricket-frenzy nation and “Asli Fans Ke Liye” is a light-hearted perspective on the emotions of Real Cricket Fans who follow the sport for the love of the game. The campaign films have been rolled out in English and Hindi languages, encouraging Indian fans across the country to tune-in to SONY
    SIX channels in English and SONY TEN 3 channels in Hindi, for the high octane drama between England and Australia on the field.

  • SPN acquires exclusive global media rights for Sri Lanka Cricket

    SPN acquires exclusive global media rights for Sri Lanka Cricket

    KOLKATA: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive global media rights for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), with the exception of terrestrial, digital and radio rights for the territory of Sri Lanka which has been retained by SLC, for a period of three years starting 1 July 2020.

    The agreement provides SPN exclusive TV and digital rights to air all 92 days of LIVE cricket comprising 10 Test Matches, 24 ODIs and 18 T20Is sanctioned by the ICC and conducted by SLC between the senior men’s national cricket team of Sri Lanka and visiting ICC member national cricket teams along with access to Sri Lanka Cricket’s archival content. The deal also include rights to broadcast India touring Sri Lanka to play six T20Is and three ODIs with one of the series scheduled for July 2021 that will feature three T20Is while the date for the other series is yet to be announced.

    Sri Lanka Cricket is home to some of the best cricketers in the world such as Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera to name a few and the current Sri Lankan cricket team is ranked in the top five in the world as per ICC Test rankings.

    With the acquisition of Sri Lanka Cricket, SPN now holds broadcast rights of England and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia and Cricket Ireland and has over 375 days of International, Big Bash T20 league, England Domestic Live cricket till FY 2022-23 which includes 31 days of India cricket.  

     “Sony Pictures Networks India is the premier destination for the best of international cricket, and we are excited about continuing our partnership with Sri Lanka Cricket. The acquisition of the exclusive global TV and digital rights of Sri Lanka Cricket strengthens our cricket portfolio. Our extended partnership with Sri Lanka Cricket adds 92 days of live cricket, including two India tours to Sri Lanka, to our robust cricket calendar,” SPN Sports Business and Distribution chief revenue officer Rajesh Kaul said. 

    “Sri Lanka Cricket is delighted to partner with Sony Pictures Networks India and continue the long-standing relationship, which has given immense benefits to both parties. Sri Lanka Cricket is truly excited and looking forward to continue working with Sony Pictures Networks India on the future tour program,” Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva said.

  • IPL and festive season to boost marketing sentiments: Experts

    IPL and festive season to boost marketing sentiments: Experts

    NEW DELHI: The Covid2019 has not only crushed the global economy, but it has badly impacted the live sporting events across the world. Every sporting event was canceled or postponed due to the virus, including the Olympic 2020. While some of the games resumed in Europe and the US, there has been a major upheaval in the sporting calendar.

    India's mecca of sports, Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to take-off from 19 September in UAE, and cricket fans are eagerly waiting for this sporting event.

    Indiantelevision.com organized a virtual round table to discuss more on the current state and future of Live Sports in India. The round table witnessed several industry veterans sharing their opinions and insights on the subject. These veterans included – Mindshare South Asia, COO Amin Lakhani; Dentsu Aegis Network CEO APAC & Chairman Ashish Bhasin; Byju’s head of marketing Atit Mehta; Future Group’s group CMO (Marketing, digital, and e-commerce) Pawan Sarda; IPG Mediabrands CEO- India Shashi Sinha; Group M India business head (Entertainment, Sports & Live Events) Vinit Karnik. The discussion was moderated by IndianTelevision.com Group Founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief Anil Wanvari.

    Hence, the question being asked is: will the IPL’s overlap with the festive season lead to a drop in viewership for the GECs and advertising dollars being sucked out from them towards the league?

    DAN CEO APAC & chairman Ashish Bhasin exclaimed, “It will depend on how much marketers are willing to shell out, and the next three months will disclose how marketers are going to make their next move. Covid2019 has taught us to be more adaptable. Decision-making has become more agile.”

    Talking about anti-china sentiments, he said, “I don't think there will be any impact on Chinese brands. I see it as a temporary blip, and it won't impact IPL significantly.”

    Experts hope that this festive season will bring back the cheer among consumers to buy, which will eventually help the brands. “IPL will be a great stimulator to the festive season,” shares IPG Mediabrand CEO – India Shashi Sinha.

    Group M India business head Vinit Karnik describes the upcoming months as very crucial. “From now, India will see three big festivals ­- Ganpati, Durga Puja, and Diwali. However, the fourth festival, in this pandemic, will be IPL. My optimism comes from the conversations we have had in the past 2-3 weeks, which have been very encouraging. People are willing to spend on this little festival, and that’s an opportunity for us.”

    Therefore, the question being asked is: Can we see marketers investing in spot buying instead of buying packages deals during this IPL?

    Mindshare South Asia COO Amin Lakhani affirms, “As we move forward, people are taking calculative decisions. The window is open till November end, and a lot of brands depending on their strategy will take a call, and these packages will make a bulk of consumption from the IPL perspective. There are a few clients who are evaluating their positions and want to be a part of it, but it depends on how the business shapes up.”

    He believes that IPL is a wonderful opportunity, and brands are willing to be a part of it. They are making initial strategies on how they want to participate.

    On brand sponsorship, Karnik says that this will have a huge impact on teams as most of the team sponsors rally with IPL for two reasons- brand saliency and activation. “With IPL going abroad, the activation point gets moot, and for team sponsorships, the numbers will be 12-25 per cent downward for team sponsorships point of view.”

    It has been widely reported that for this edition of IPL, Star India has set a target of Rs 3,000 crore in advertising.

    According to Sinha, “If the broadcaster reaches closer to last year's ad sales number, it will be a good sign. While the overall industry is still not doing well in terms of performance, but categories work in terms of sponsorship. It will not be as bad as people think.”

    Bhasin states that even the last two generations haven’t faced anything like this, so it is unfair to expect that this year is going to be the same as the last one. The context is where we are as compared to three years ago.

    He further says, "In this pandemic, digital consumption has reached its highest level. Digital companies have benefitted, and many of them are funded companies. They are in a much better position than many others."

    However, he believes that the only exception is live sports because you need a bigger screen. “The skew of ad spends is towards digital, but it is not at the cost of TV. Digital segment will just open up more opportunities.”

    It will be interesting to see how the next three months pan and will advertisers open up their purses.

  • What IPL comeback means to the entire industry?

    What IPL comeback means to the entire industry?

    NEW DELHI-. As numerous tournaments around the globe are making their comeback, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is going to bring smiles to cricket fans’ faces from 19 September. The game will be held in UAE this year and is one of the most sought after tournaments in recent history.

    If reports are to be believed, online gaming and sports firms are all set to spend big on television and digital platforms. With live sports back in action, the biggest question that is being asked is how the business of live sports would fare during the pandemic.

    Indiantelevision.com organized a virtual round table to discuss more about the current state and future of Live Sports in India. The round table witnessed several industry veterans sharing their opinions and insights on the subject. These veterans included – Mindshare South Asia, COO Amin Lakhani; Dentsu Aegis Network CEO APAC & Chairman Ashish Bhasin; Byju’s head of marketing Atit Mehta; Future Group’s group CMO (Marketing, digital, and e-commerce) Pawan Sarda; IPG Mediabrands CEO- India Shashi Sinha; Group M India business head (Entertainment, Sports & Live Events) Vinit Karnik. The discussion was moderated by IndianTelevision.com Group Founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief Anil Wanvari.

    Mindshare South Asia COO Amin Lakhani mentions that since the day IPL was announced there has been a sense of positivity and it indicates that we are on the path to recovery. “There is a cautiousness in the market as the businesses have taken a huge setback in most of the segments. Many brands are looking it as an opportunity on how they can engage with IPL. The conversation with clients on IPL is three times more than what we were having with them around television ad spends in last couple of months,” shares Lakhani.

    IPG Media brands CEO- India Shashi Sinha believes that it is definitely an opportune moment for IPL to come in. “Metro cities contribute to nearly 35% of overall consumption in India. However, these cities have been most affected due to pandemic and IPL gets large traction from these regions. So, IPL is a good opportunity for brands catering to the audiences in these markets to come out from the negativity. We also feel that the sentiment is really good, and one should not compare IPL to the March – April but to what the mood was in June and July this year.”. 

    DAN CEO APAC & chairman Ashish Bhasin points out that the Indian market is more sentiment-driven as compared to any other market in the world. “If the mood is upbeat, both advertisers and consumers continue to open their purses. Last year, the economy was not doing as badly as it is doing now, but the mood was depressed. As a result, the advertising industry and many other brands were not doing well. We have already had 4-5 months of bad news, and sometimes we need an escape from it, and IPL has a potential for that. I think around the time of IPL, we will start approaching closer to normality, and once that happens, the universe will expand,” says Bhasin.

    Group M India business head Vinit Karnik opines that it’s completely unfair to compare 2020 with last year's performance. “This year has been a completely different experience for each and every sector, but still, I believe there is a reasonable amount of head-room for both GECs as well as the sports sector to survive. I think we have a decent amount of headroom to manage both,” he further adds.

    Future Group’s group CMO Pawan Sarda defines the last few months as a complete washout and believes that businesses are still struggling as they have not reached 30-40 per cent of the previous year. Says he, “It’s time to step back and observe how things will happen and then make a decision on our spendings. IPL is a platform that sets the mood for the country. A good amount of advertising is always good for healthy consumption, and since we are in retail, we tend to get the benefit from it. We are not committing anything right now.”

    During this lockdown, e-learning has performed exceptionally well. Byju’s head of marketing Atit Mehta shares, “For us, the past 4-5 months have been good in topline and bottom-line growth. We are optimistic and looking forward to the start of the festive season and every other opportunity that comes our way.”

    Says he, “As we have lost out our bid, we will now have to look at other options as far as IPL is concerned.”

    So, overall the mood is very upbeat within the brands and agencies as they keen to once again go out and reach their consumers.

  • Gear up to witness Live Sports Virtual round-table today at 3 pm

    Gear up to witness Live Sports Virtual round-table today at 3 pm

    NEW DELHI: Every sporting event in India and across the globe was cancelled, moved or postponed due to the novel coronavirus, there has been a major upheaval on the sporting calendar. But with Indian Premier League (IPL) making a comeback, cricket fans are now eagerly waiting for the game to kickstart from 19 September in UAE.  

    If reports are to be believed, online gaming and sports firms are all set to spend big on television and digital platforms. With live sports back in action, Indian Television decided to get together brands, agencies, marketers & sports platforms over a virtual round table to discuss how the business of live sports would pan out especially in the wake of the current pandemic.

    Live sports action be it football, cricket, etc. They have already started in other countries as the unlock was announced in a staggered manner. The discussion will explore the current problems faced and the best opportunities available to the industry. From broadcasting to sponsorship (Athlete & team), the round table will understand the value of true sports partnerships which will benefit both the brand and the sport to grow together.

    The virtual round table will witness crème de la crème of the industry. Mindshare South Asia, chief operating officer Amin Lakhani; Dentsu Aegis Network CEO APAC & Chairman Ashish Bhasin; Byju’s head of marketing Atit Mehta; Future Group’s group CMO (Marketing, digital, and e-commerce) Pawan Sarda; IPG Mediabrands CEO- India Shashi Sinha; Group India business head (Entertainment, Sports & Live Events) Vinit Karnik. The discussion will be moderated by IndianTelevision.com Group Founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief Anil Wanvari.

    The virtual round-table will go live on 21 August 2020 at 3 pm. You can register here for the discussion. 

    Watch this space for more developments! 

  • IPL 2020: Brands opt for spot buying over bigger packages

    IPL 2020: Brands opt for spot buying over bigger packages

    NEW DELHI: It was being coined for long by the industry insiders that IPL will bring respite to the broadcasters from tardy advertising revenues that they are dealing with since the onset of Covid-19 pandemic, in early March.

    The tournament will take place in UAE this year between September 19 and November and is touted to be the biggest Live Sports event this year. Undoubtedly, there is a lot of excitement about the property among consumers, broadcasters and brands.

    It has been widely reported that Star has set a target of Rs 3000 crore in advertising revenues for IPL this year.

    Media Ant co-founder Samir Chaudhary shares, the ad rates for Star Sports are pretty much the same as the last time, Rs 13-15 lakhs per 10 seconds but on Hotstar it has gone up from ‘120 CPM in last season to ‘180 CPM.

    Interestingly, the experts pointed that while the advertisers are happy to go ahead with this high impact property, they are also playing it safe when it comes to buying ad slots on Star Sports and Hotstar for the tournament. Unlike every year, brands are not flocking to buy package deals but are smartly investing in spot buying, a leading marketing expert tells us. He adds that this is also the reason that ad rates have been slightly up this year. 

    Several reports indicate that Star has already sold a large part of their ad inventory and the rest of the inventory will be sold close the bigger matches. A lot will also depend on the viewership numbers of the tournament. For the record, IPL has always been able to clock high viewership numbers. In 2019, the cricketing league clocked a viewership of 462 million.

    Media veteran Shripad Kulkarni notes, “For Star Sports, these are the rates that they have begun with but it is a very dynamic situation this time. It will all depend on demand and supply. Also, usually, they used to open the FCTs once the sponsors were finalised but they don’t have much time now, so all of this is running parallely. I am hoping for the sake of all us that there is a last-minute surge in the prices as many are looking at it as a point of revival.” 

    Interestingly, this year, IPL is coinciding with the festive season which is further helping its cause. Traditionally brands are keen to advertise during this season to reach out to their consumers who are in a good mood to purchase. Advertisers have a very small window and they prefer to go all in during this time. So, this year, it is expected that advertisers will be happy to pay a premium for IPL slots to reach out to their consumers.

    In a recent interaction with Indiantelevision.com CEO, founder, and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari, Havas Media group MD India Mohit Joshi had noted that good 25-30 per cent of this year’s festive season spends will be taken by forthcoming the cricketing league, scheduled to happen between 19 September and 8 November.

    Another expert insisted that the market sentiments are fairly positive right now and a number of brands are in the process of buying ad slots. Though, he adds that the sponsorship rates are running about 25 per cent low this year. 

    The positive sentiment around the property was further enhanced with the announcement of Dream11 replacing Vivo as the title sponsor. The fantasy league brand bought the sponsorship right for Rs 222 crore.

    On the digital front, Disney + Hotstar will play a major role this year. Several industry experts have pointed that they are expecting good viewership on Hotstar and therefore the ad rates are slightly higher, maybe up to 50 per cent more than the last time.” It is expected that a lot of brands will be keen to experiment with IPL on the digital front.

    Surprisingly, Kulkarni is expecting a dip in the ad rates for Hotstar to the tune of 25-30 per cent from the last season. He also agrees that a lot is going to depend on demand and supply. The rates might be revised as the season progresses and viewership numbers are revealed. 

    In terms of the number of FCTs sold, all the media experts maintained that many brands, from the ed-tech, automobile, and FMCG categories, are in the discussion phase and confirmations will follow in the next two weeks. 

  • DISCOVERY, GOLFTV AND TIGER WOODS UNVEIL SEASON 2 OF THE EXCLUSIVE SERIES “MY GAME: TIGER WOODS”

    DISCOVERY, GOLFTV AND TIGER WOODS UNVEIL SEASON 2 OF THE EXCLUSIVE SERIES “MY GAME: TIGER WOODS”

    Discovery Golf and GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR today announced the release of the second season of the exclusive masterclass series “MY GAME: TIGER WOODS.” The 10-part season launches globally on August 20 and sees the greatest player of the modern era take viewers through his shotmaking Secrets for the first time.

    In 2019’s Season 1, MY GAME: TIGER WOODS – INSIDE THE MIND OF A CHAMPION, viewers were given a 50,000-foot view of Tiger’s overall thoughts on his game, delivered candidly by the golf icon himself. The incredible success of Season 1 was followed by an insatiable fan outcry for more — more time, more detail, more instruction on how the most successful player in modern golf hits his legendary shots. Season 2 sees the 15-time major champion dive deep into the technique behind his incredible shotmaking skills and sharing the secrets to what has made him one of the best players of all time. Presented in clear and memorable terms, viewers will learn invaluable lessons that they can apply to their own game.

    MY GAME: TIGER WOODS – SHOTMAKING SECRETS was filmed on course at The Dye Preserve in Jupiter, Fla. during June 2020 with strict Covid-19 production-safety precautions in place. The series will be available to international audiences on GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR, the live and on-demand video streaming service available in more than 200 international markets worldwide.Episode 1 will be free to view with the remainder of the series available to stream with a GOLFTV Live subscription. Viewers in the U.S. can watch via the new Golf Digest Schools app or at www.golfdigest.com/tigerwoods.

    Speaking on the new series, Tiger Woods said: “Shooting My Game Season 2 with Discovery was a great opportunity to dig deep and offer insight into how I approach and execute the different parts of my game. I’ve never revealed my thought process behind my shotmaking technique and course management in such detail before, so I am excited to share it with players and fans for the first time.

    “It’s been a tough time for everyone around the world these past few months, and it’s fantastic to see players of all levels getting back out there on the course. I’m excited to partner with GOLFTV and Discovery to bring this series to millions around the world and help people enjoy the game even more,” Woods said.

    Alex Kaplan, President and General Manager of Discovery Golf said: “Following the success of Season 1, we are immensely proud to continue our relationship with Tiger for 10more unmissable episodes. MY GAME: TIGER WOODS – SHOTMAKING SECRETSis a must-watch for every fan and player looking for that extra edge to their game. What better way to improve and ultimately shoot lower scores than by taking tips directly from the greatest golfer of modern times?

    “We are fully committed to bringing fans closer to the action and the players through our coverage, reporting and exclusive access to heroes like Tiger,” Kaplan said.

    Discovery announced an exclusive multi-year content partnership with Tiger Woods in November 2018. Discovery launched GOLFTV in January 2019, as part of a ground-breaking 12-year strategic alliance with the PGA TOUR, and acquired Golf Digest in May 2019.

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

  • Why IPL2020 makes sense for marketers and brands

    Why IPL2020 makes sense for marketers and brands

    MUMBAI: The countdown to the 2020 season of India’s biggest sports extravaganza – the Indian Premier League (IPL) – has begun. Come 19 September, more than a billion eyes will be riveted on their TV screens as the first ball of the first match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings is bowled at 7.30 pm.  It does not get better than this for IPL fans, for whom it will be a revisit of the 2019 finals when the Mumbai lads beat the southern team by a whisker of a run, in a heart-stopping duel.

    The 2020 league, which is one of the most premium in the world, is coming at a time when brands sorely need to get back into the consumer’s mindset. Most marketing mavens believe there has been an erosion in brand love among consumers.  Thanks to the disruption in supply chains, consumers have hitherto been okay with buying products rather than their favourite brands. The percentage of shoppers buying online has leapfrogged, footfalls in brick and mortar stores have dived. The humungous response to the Flipkart and Amazon sales in the past two weeks shows customers want to spend and that demand is there.

    Observers believe that big brands which have refrained or cut back their communication with consumers need to get back with their mesmerising and engaging TV and digital commercials so that the consumer connect gets forged once again.

    “Even as the cases are going up, consumer confidence is slowly but surely coming back,” says Group M head of entertainment and sport Vineet Karnik.

    As time goes by, consumers will increasingly go out, spend and the economy will surely follow, or that is the corollary.

    “Marketers believe the IPL is a good opportunity to give a boost to that consumer sentiment even further,” says IPG Media Brands CEO Shashi Sinha

    Sinha had been quoted sometime back in an interview that the IPL is a tentpole property, the biggest in India. “Television is anyway fragmented. The highest ratings come on IPL in India. IPL is the only platform which allows you that single window to reach masses, audiences. Our brands have consistently used it for some time now,” he had said.

    What will make cricket an even bigger audience builder this year is the fact that viewers have not got to watch Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli play for a large part of 2020. Clearly, the desire for sports has been bottled up and is expected to explode into a frenzy of viewing between September and November. Fans are raring to go and have been tweeting, posting their joy, annoyance and opinions on every social media and blogging platform. 

    All thanks to being locked down courtesy the virus, India and Indians have been consuming more content – video, audio, games and what have you – in heavy doses and binges. Data shows that TV consumption is up over 15 per cent (source: BARC) as compared to pre-Covid2019 times, and it is unlikely to slow down, and in fact will sharply accelerate northwards.

    The BCCI has also rejigged the match timings, which should augur well for TV viewers and advertisers. Instead of 2019’s 4 pm and 8 pm starts, the matches in the UAE will now commence at 3.30 pm and 7.30 pm IST respectively. The 3.30 slot will end up extending into early prime, while the 7.30 pm match will end during peak primetime when audiences will also be at their peak. 

    The biggest USP of the IPL, a media observer points out, is that it provides for a very good advertising environment with less clutter. Ad breaks average 50 seconds, means that four to five TV commercials can be played out.  The free commercial time per hour during the IPL is also limited at 800 seconds per hour, as compared to other genres where it crosses 920 seconds and some time goes up to as high as 1,120 seconds. All this works well for brands as the OTS on commercial and engagement goes up.

    Sinha is as optimistic – if not more – today with IPL’s prospects than he was three months ago. “I genuinely believe the IPL will do very well with viewers,” he said. “Some of our smaller brands are also asking us to put their spends behind it. The advertisers will definitely give it a good shot at giving a good push to their businesses.”

    Shall we say amen to that?