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Category: Sports

  • Non-mainstream sports are acquiring centre-stage in India

    Non-mainstream sports are acquiring centre-stage in India

    India is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world with a population following a wide range of religions belonging to different communities. However, the one thing that always unites Indians across every social barrier is their love for sports. Cricket, one of the most popular sports in the country, is somewhat of a religion in the country with almost every Indian flocking towards their TV screens for an India – Pakistan match. While cricket has achieved phenomenal success in the country, it has also shadowed the potential of other sports in the country. However, with the growth of the sports industry and increased representation of India in leading international tournaments of these non-mainstream sports, these are emerging as the new favourites among the avid sports fans in the country.

    Football

    In a country dominated by cricket lovers, football-only enjoyed little and localized recognition in regions such as Kerala and the North-Eastern states, especially West Bengal, the hub being Kolkata. While the sport is extremely popular and a giant industry internationally, the popularity of the sport in India has only risen in the past decade. While the international football leagues like the English Premier League has always grabbed eyeballs of avid sports fans, India today also has its own national leagues like the India Super League, launched in 2013. Since the league began, studies show that the interest in football in the country has risen from 30 per cent to 45 per cent from 2013-17. An indoor format of the sport, Futsal has also recently been introduced in India. This format, which is already popular internationally, has gained huge popularity in metros specially where spaces and grounds is a constraint.

    Kabaddi

    In recent times, the biggest overnight success has been that of Kabaddi as a crowd-favourite. Launched in 2014, Pro Kabaddi League has today evolved to one of the most-watched sports in the country. The rugged sport, originally limited to the rural population, is now the 2nd most-watched sport in the country after cricket. The sport has made its mark as a leading mainstream sport actively competing with football for the second spot.

    Basketball

    After the entry of National Basketball Association (NBA) in India in 2017, the sport has received wide acceptance among the Indian audience and is today, slowly gaining traction. This year marks the first-ever NBA tournament which will be a testament to the growth of this non-mainstream sport in the Indian culture. The NBA tournament is expected to be one of the most highly anticipated sports events of the year.

    Cycling

    Another non-mainstream sport that has today gained considerable popularity is cycling. While earlier only considered as an activity for the low-income group of people for commute, today, cycling has evolved into an adventure sport of its own. Specialist biking stores have opened up across the country to cater to the growing audience of cycling as a sport. Tournaments such as the Hero MTB Himalaya has been key in putting cycling on the sports pages in the country.

    Badminton

    The past decade has been revolutionary for Indian Badminton, especially in light of the success of Indian athletes like Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu in the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. The secret to bringing a sport into the forefront in a widely populated country like India is the right representation of it on international fronts. With Indian players making their mark in both the men’s and women’s category of the World’s Top 10 in the world, badminton is today a widely accepted sport. National tournaments like Premier Badminton League is one of the driving forces behind the success of the sport in the mainstream sport section.

    Wrestling

    Currently, India has the biggest fanbase of WWE, the world’s biggest wrestling event, after USA. The tournament receives 335 million unique television viewers per year. Closer to home, national-level tournaments like India’s Pro Wrestling League has become one of the biggest sports events of the year. The popularity of wrestling was further fueled by the representation of the sport in leading Bollywood movies like Dangal and Sultan. Such mainstream representation propelled the sport into the limelight more than before and is today, a sport that many in rural regions aspire to be a professional in.

    Poker

    While many still find it hard to consider poker as a sport, the popularity of poker tournaments is rapidly rising in the country. Professional poker is not just an abstract concept but a reality in modern India. An industry that is rapidly springing startups in the virtual poker space, the sport is extremely popular, especially among the millennial generation. Studies show that more than 50 lakh Indians today have active online poker accounts. Tournaments like India Poker Championship 2019, World Poker Tour 2019, etc. have allowed poker to turn into a mainstream sport in the country today.

    With the globalized and digitized world that we live in, many forgotten sports today are coming into the limelight and receiving more recognition.  Rustic sports like Kho-Kho are also gaining traction with established professional tournaments like Ultimate Kho-Kho arising. The past decade has been witness to almost 16 new sports league emerging in the Indian landscape. With the vast population of India and the varied cultures present, there is a scope for many regional sports to become more prevalent in the industry.

    (The author is managing director, Dome Entertainment. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them)

  • Sony Pictures Networks India pledges to take #PrideInDiversity – Implements policy changetopromoteinclusivity at workplace

    Sony Pictures Networks India pledges to take #PrideInDiversity – Implements policy changetopromoteinclusivity at workplace

    MUMBAI: Staying true to its title of being of an ‘Employer of Choice’, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has taken a step forwardto foster its commitment towardsinclusivity. With an aim to build a conducive environment for all employees, the network has revised its company policies to be gender neutral. 

    SPN, at the very core has always remained an inclusive and respectful workplace. As a part of this initiative, the networkwill extend medical benefits and insurance coverage for declared partners. According to the new amendment, there is a shift from maternity/ paternity policies to common parental policies and an expansion to the definitions of primary and secondary caregivers. Primary caregivers will now include all employees who have nominated themselves as the primary caregiver in case of adoption/surrogacy. While secondary caregivers will include all employees, who have had a child in the past six months but not delivered the child and not nominated themselves as primary caregivers in adoption/surrogacy cases. 

    To ensure equal safety for all the employees, the network also incorporated changes to the Code of Conduct. According to which, the definition of sexual harassment will now include hate speech/ bigotry and intolerant remarks on LGBT+ community in general. In addition to rendering policies as gender neutral, SPN has also announced infrastructural changes such as gender neutral washrooms in their Mumbai and Gurgaon offices. 

    Through such endeavours, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), has always aimed at empowering communities and creating a diverse, inclusiveand happy workplace. This initiative is one of the many steps taken by the network to support diversity.SPN is committed to fuel a creative and innovative workforce through its people-friendly policies. 
     

  • La Pegasus Polo International XPL Team to be the only Indian Owned Team and Foreign Team at the Inaugural Edition of X-treme Polo League (XPL)

    La Pegasus Polo International XPL Team to be the only Indian Owned Team and Foreign Team at the Inaugural Edition of X-treme Polo League (XPL)

    Mumbai based La Pegasus Polo, founded by Sanjay Jindal and one of India’s upcoming Premiere Polo Establishments, today announced that they would field an International Team in the Inaugural Edition of the X-treme Polo League (XPL), a concept envisioned by former Argentine Polo player Juan Zavalia and inspired by India’s very own Indian Premier League (IPL), to popularize the sport of Polo in the world.

    The XPL has been devised as eventually becoming a Global League from 2020, with the Inaugural Edition, with a total prize money of US$724,000, set to begin just before the start of the Spring Polo Season in Argentina, a country well known, to be the best in Polo for a long time and having the game’s best players.

    The announcement makes La Pegasus Polo International XPL Team, the only Indian owned and Foreign Franchise in the world’s first ever Professional Polo league.

    Commenting on the development, Sanjay Jindal, Patron & Founder, La Pegasus Polo said, “After renewing the Partnership with the Argentina Open Polo Championship, we felt it was only natural for us to Partner with a Revolutionary New concept, having an immense potential to popularize the game of Polo. It is another proud moment in La Pegasus Polo’s journey, as it could not be that such great strides were being made in the game and India, the land of Polo’s birth, could be left out. We look forward to the day when the XPL is played in India.”

    Juan Zavalia, founder of EBI Media Holdings who will administer the League said, “This is a very welcome step and we appreciate the vision and passion continuously demonstrated by Mr. Sanjay Jindal and La Pegasus Polo in spreading and popularizing the game. We wish him and his XPL Team all the very best in the Inaugural Edition and we look forward to the day when the XPL will be played in the land where it all began, India”

    XPL is scheduled to begin from the September 25, 2019 and The Finals slated for October 5, 2019 to be held at the PILAR Polo grounds – Buenos Aires in Argentina.

    The League will see franchises bought by big names in Polo such as Ellerstina, Las Monjitas, La Ensenada, La Albertina Abu Dhabi, La Pegasus, La Aguada, La Alegria and Thai Polo. Some of the prominent names to feature in the league include the likes of the Facundo Pieres, the Castagnola Brothers – Camilo Castagnola and B. Castagnola, Mariano Auerre and Miguel N. Astrada, to name a few.

    The XPL will consist of players wherein the sum of all the players’ handicap within a team should be between 28-34 handicaps. Each team is allowed a maximum a two players with a handicap of 10. As far as the rules of the game go, there will be six chukkers of 6:30 min each and for the first time in Polo, player changes (substitutions) are going to be allowed during the game. To add more excitement to the game, goals scored from outside the 80-yard line will count as double.

    The XPL plans to move to places like the USA, UK, France, Spain, Dubai and Qatar, in the coming years besides Argentina and plans are afoot to bring it to India by 2021 as per Zavalia and his organization EBI Media Holdings.

  • LaLiga beats TikTok record with the most multitudinous football content challenge in the platform’s history

    LaLiga beats TikTok record with the most multitudinous football content challenge in the platform’s history

    MUMBAI. LaLiga has beaten another record, this time in conjunction with TikTok, the largest short-form video platform in the world. Together they have launched #HolaLaLigaSantander, a campaign which has generated more than 220,000 videos and reached over 50 million views in just two weeks.

    The challenge, which consists of fans showing off their skills by doing headed keep-ups with a virtual LaLiga ball, was a roaring success on TikTok during the first week since its launch, and this is expected to continue over the coming weeks. "We're confident that users will continue to join in this challenge so we can reach 60 million views in a few more weeks," said Noel Nuez, TikTok’s Country Manager for Spain and South America.

    LaLiga, one of the first big European leagues to open a profile on the short-form video platform, currently has 350,000 followers with many of its clubs including Atletico de Madrid, Cadiz CF, FC Barcelona, Sevilla FC, RCD Espanyol, Real Madrid CF and Real Zaragoza already on TikTok.

    "We're very happy with the activation’s results. We've teamed up with TikTok and managed to make history together. The results of this initiative have far surpassed our expectations and we're convinced that this is just the beginning," added Alfredo Bermejo, LaLiga's Director of Digital Strategy.

    Among the millions of fans from over 40 countries who took part in the initiative, it is worth making special mention of some of the sports stars, celebrities and influencers who have shaken up social media with their videos.

    They include Espanyol’s Matías Ezequiel Vargas and former US football star Jimmy Conrad, as well as freestylers Javi Freestyle – the two-time Spanish champion – and Jenifer Rosas of Mexico.

    Also involved were celebrities from the music and showbusiness world, such as the Colombian Luisa Fernanda W, whose video proved the challenge’s most popular with over 1.1 million views.

    Creativity has been the common theme in this challenge launched by TikTok and LaLiga, in which we have seen some wacky and entertaining videos. One such example is Dani Duke’s upload, considered to be one of the most creative of all of those posted by people joining in the fun.

  • Football fans gear up for Serie A, the top-tier Italian football league on Sony Pictures Sports Network

    Football fans gear up for Serie A, the top-tier Italian football league on Sony Pictures Sports Network

    MUMBAI: The upcoming season of Serie A will be the 118th season of top-tier Italian football and fans can expect nothing less than non-stop nail-biting action from August 24, 2019 to May 24, 2020 live and exclusive on SONY TEN 2 and SONY TEN 2 HD channels.

    Serie A is amongst the premier football leagues in the world and hosts some of the most famous football clubs like Juventus FC, AC Milan, AS Roma, Napoli SSC and Inter Milan among others. The league is ranked third among European leagues according to UEFA's league coefficient and is home to some of the world’s best footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo, Gianluigi Buffon, Gonzalo Higuain, Lorenzo Insigne, Romelu Lukaku and Matthis De Ligt to name a few.

    It’s well-known that football is interwoven in the Italian fabric and club rivalries run beyond just teams and there is a lot to look forward to in Serie A this season.

    · “The Phenomenon” – Cristiano Ronaldo’s move from Real Madrid to Juventus FC did send reverberations across the footballing world. However, Juventus has hugely benefitted from his presence and is all set for his second season with them. Stay tuned to see if he can be the messiah in raising Juventus FC to domestic and European grandeurs this season.

    · Playground of Success – Serie A has been the playground in which many of the greatest managers in history cut their teeth before achieving success elsewhere. The tactical rigor of Serie A has produced some of the finest innovators in the game such as Maurizio Sarri, who returns to the Italian league but this time managing his previous nemesis, Juventus FC.

    · Key Transfers – Change is the only constant, but in football, it makes and breaks the teams. This season, there have been some major shifts as Juventus made a big statement by signing the teenage defender, Matthis De Ligt, for a fee of $84.3 million and Romelu Lukaku made his move from Manchester United FC to FC Inter Milan.

    · Fiercest Rivalries – With many Serie A clubs hailing from Italy’s major cities, there are a plethora of derbies – Juventus and Fiorentina share Serie A’s most bitter rivalry followed by The Milan Derby which is the most awaited fixture in the Italian football calendar and finally Lazio Vs. Roma which is billed as the battle of Rome, a fixture where the fans take center stage.

    The Italian league has been gaining in popularity in India over the past few years and became the most sampled international football league in the 2018/19 season. Fans in India can catch Serie A live on SPSN channels, along with a vast bouquet of premier football properties like UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup, FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Paraguay 2019 and many more.

  • Budweiser 0.0 partners with Star Sports for the 2019/20 season of the premier league

    Budweiser 0.0 partners with Star Sports for the 2019/20 season of the premier league

    MUMBAI: With a proposition of being an ‘anyone, anywhere’ beverage, Budweiser 0.0 today announced an exclusive collaboration with Star Sports for the 2019/20 season of the Premier League. As part of this association, Budweiser 0.0, the newly introduced non-alcohol beer from the world’s leading brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, will take on the role of a co-presenting partner on Star Select SD and HD, while owning spots across the league’s 360 games.

    Year-on-year, football has become a growing passion point for Indian consumers and the brewer, having been a long-term partner of the FIFA World Cup™, has designed engaging content and all-round experiences to bring alive the essence of the sport and energise fans in the country. Expanding its association with the game, Budweiser last month announced multi-year partnerships with two of the top international football leagues, the Premier League and LaLiga. As part of this partnership in India, Budweiser 0.0 will add to the excitement surrounding the Premier League season, through co-branded content with Star Sports. This will provide fans with real-time updates and showcase key match moments celebrating the greatness of the players—the Kings of the Game—both on and off the field. The brand will also collaborate with the channel to curate fan parks and host live match screenings to further connect with more football fans across the country.

    Commenting on the association, Kartikeya Sharma, VP Marketing – South Asia, AB InBev, opined, “We are excited to partner with Star Sports as co-presenting sponsors this season for one of the top international sporting events – Premier League. We have always been passionate about the game and truly believe that it surpasses boundaries and brings people together. With this collaboration, we look forward to offering consumers and football fans exclusive content and well-curated experiences, creating an opportunity for them to celebrate the spirit of the game.”  

    Yatin Balyan, National Head Investments and Enterprise, Omnicom Media Group said, “We are excited to facilitate a partnership between Star Sports and Budweiser 0.0 as a co-presenting sponsor for the Premier League. We are confident that this partnership will deliver the expected brand objectives. Budweiser and football have a seamless association the world over and with the launch of Budweiser 0.0, we found a perfect way to enhance this association further. Football in India has, over the years, witnessed tremendous traction among viewers in India, and the Premier League has a massive following. We are looking forward to a successful roll-out during the current season.” PHD Media (part of Omnicom Media Group) manages media planning for AB InBev in India.

    Commenting on the association, a Star Sports Spokesperson said, "Star Sports Select has been continuously redefining the way Sports content is consumed in India, by keeping the sports fans at the heart of all we do. Be it multiple angle viewing or surround content that gives deeper understanding and insight into the game to fans or product innovations that further enhance storytelling for the evolved fans.

    With the purpose of bringing the Premier league fans closer to the game and its heroes, we have organized community match screening events and Legend interactions under the “Select FC” initiative which offers unique experiences these fans in the country. In this journey, we welcome on board Budweiser as one of our co-presenting sponsors of the Premier League Broadcast in India. We are sure they will also enhance the experience of the Premier league fans with their initiatives.”

  • Get the ultimate Premier League fan experience with Watch’n Banter on Hotstar VIP

    Get the ultimate Premier League fan experience with Watch’n Banter on Hotstar VIP

    MUMBAI: As Premier League gathers steam, it’s time to get the squad together and join in the action on Hotstar VIP. An exciting feature, Watch’nBanter lets viewers watch the match LIVE and chat with other football fans on the platform.

    With the LIVE social feed, viewers can now enjoy the game, discuss match highlights, show allegiance to their team or simply take jibes at the opponents – ALL on a single screen. Users can also invite their friends to Watch’nBanter and join the chat that’s armed with emojis, stickers and club logos.

    Every Premier League match will be available in Full HD on supported devices, with expert analysis pre-match, at half time and post-match. Viewers who missed the match can catch all highlights of the game at their convenience.

  • IPL value increases to $6.8 billion in 2019

    IPL value increases to $6.8 billion in 2019

    MUMBAI: Duff & Phelps, the global advisor that protects, restores and maximizes value for clients, today announced findings from its IPL Brand Valuation Report 2019, a comprehensive study on brand values in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    The findings of the sixth edition of Duff & Phelps’ annual IPL study suggests an increase in the overall value of the IPL ecosystem from $6.3 billion in 2018 to $6.8 billion in 2019, a growth of 7 per cent after considering currency fluctuations. In INR terms, the IPL ecosystem value increased by approximately 13.5 per cent from Rs 41,800 crore to Rs 47,500 crore, underpinned by the continued confidence advertisers, broadcasters, sponsors, affiliates, partners and viewers have shown in the IPL. The individual franchisee brands saw mixed fortunes, with their brand values increasing or decreasing in close correlation with their on-field performances.

    “Our IPL brand values report reflects the evolution of the modern cricket business paradigm. As we move into the second decade of IPL, the league has transitioned from being a startup to being a more mature, stable and profitable business. An increase of 20 per cent in advertising revenues this year and the recently renewed PayTM title sponsorship deal (which has fetched an increase of 58 per cent on a per-match basis over the last deal) are testaments to the continued popularity of IPL. This has resulted in a steady increase in the value of the ecosystem (which grew by 13.5 per cent in INR terms). However, for growth trajectories to maintain their momentum, all teams need to focus on their on-field performance while continuing to broaden their footprint, forge relationships and generate revenue opportunities in growth markets,” Duff & Phelps Asia Pacific Leader for Valuation advisory services and India country leader Varun Gupta said.

    “This year, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), continued their absolute dominance with MI winning their fourth IPL title. Their consistent on-field performance has made them fulfil the dreams of their sponsors and advertisers resulting in a year-on-year increase in their brand value. On the contrary, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have shed some of their brand value this year demonstrating that big city bases and marquee players are not the only factors influencing brand value; consistent performance on the field also matters,”  D and P India Advisory ServicesLLP (a member of the Duff & Phelps network) managing partner Santosh N said.

    Among franchises, MI, with a brand value of Rs 809 crore up by almost 8.5 per cent from last year, continues to top the charts for the fourth season in a row. CSK has seen a massive gain of 13.1 per cent in its brand value to Rs 732 crore, propelling the team to the No.2 spot in our brand rankings. Though CSK saw its brand value erode due to the two-year ban imposed on it, it seems to have recovered on the back of continued on-field success coupled with a pan-India fervent fan base and Dhoni’s charisma.

    KKR and RCB have seen their brand value erode primarily on account of their below-par on-field performances, with both franchises shedding approximately 8 per cent of their brand value. However, both continue to be backed by loyal fan bases and the presence of Shah Rukh Khan and Virat Kohli respectively, who continue to carry each brand on their shoulders. This is particularly so for RCB, who if not for Kohli, would have seen a significant erosion in its brand value in the last couple of years.

    Sunrisers Hyderabad, the youngest franchisee in IPL, has made steady gains over the years in terms of its brand value while Delhi Capitals, on the back of its on-field performances this season, saw an appreciation of 9 per cent to its brand values.

  • Lex Sportel Vision to launch India’s first Indigenous Pro Wrestling Show ‘WIN Dangal ke Soorma’

    Lex Sportel Vision to launch India’s first Indigenous Pro Wrestling Show ‘WIN Dangal ke Soorma’

    New Delhi – Gurgaon based Lex Sportel Vision announced the launch of India’s first Indigenous Pro Wrestling Show titled, ‘WIN (Wrestle India Network) Dangal ke Soorma’. The 12 episode series will feature 21 elite Indian Pro-Wrestlers taking on International Wrestling stars and will be broadcast on DSPORT from August 24, 2019 onwards.

    Like many international shows, WIN Dangal ke Soorma aims to enthuse viewers through some edge of the seat wrestling action interspersed with a gripping plotline, which showcases an epic battle between Carl Hella, a Singapore based Pro-Wrestling tournament manager and Balliyan Akki, a young pro wrestler from Muzzafarnagar who in a brief span of 5 years challenged global players in Japan and major tournaments in South East Asia, to put Indian Wrestlers on a global platform.

    Both Carl and Balliyan have come together with their team of wrestlers (both Indian and global) to challenge each other in 25 matches and to find out the true champion who will be christened the ‘DangalKaSoorma 2019’. The series is packed with action, twists, excitement and much more as every episode witnesses hardcore punches backed with a spicy backstory full of enthralling moments of backstabbing, bruised egos, surprise entries & all around entertainment, very synonymous with the world of pro-wrestling.

    The preparation of the show is as unique as its story, where almost 6 months went in tryouts and trials of about 40+ enthusiasts to finally choose 21 strong hopefuls. They were given identities, which suited their character on the show and their costumes were styled. They were also given specific weight and body sculpting targets. Parallel to this, a script and idea was formulated by the channel, and the principal character of the show Carl Hella was prepared for the series.

    The show will also feature Ex-WWE Superstar Chris Adonis, former AWO Heavyweight and COW Interstate Champion to excite and inspire the indian contingent. Chris was ranked Top 100 of the Top 500 wrestlers in the PWI Arizona Heavyweight Championship.

    Speaking at the launch occasion of DangalkeSoorma, Mr. R.C. Venkateish, MD& CEO, Lex Sportel, said, “Pro-wrestling is the second most viewed sport of the country after cricket. Despite this fact, this unique form of sportainment has never been promoted in the country and has always been dominated by International Wrestling Shows. We see a huge untapped potential in the Indian Pro-wrestling industry, hence coming up with the concept of creating India’s first indigenous Pro-Wrestling show”.

    DSPORT has the biggest portfolio of combat sports and wrestling shows in the sub-continent including the very popular New Japan Pro Wrestling (World’s second largest Pro-Wrestling show), Bellator MMA (one of the largest MMA promotions in the world), Ring of Honor (third largest wrestling promotion in the United States), Lucha Underground & the Wade Barret Promoted world of Sport Wrestling (WOSW).

    Explaining the relevance of the show, he further emphasized, “The show will give a major boost to the Indian Pro-Wrestling industry and will also create opportunities for the young pool of talent who want to make their future in the sports entertainment business.”

  • Announcement of Indian men’s cricket team coach at 6PM today on Star Sports

    Announcement of Indian men’s cricket team coach at 6PM today on Star Sports

    Mumbai: Star Sports, India’s leading broadcaster and the ‘Home of Cricket’ to telecast the big and official announcement of the coach of the Indian Men’s Cricket Team today at 6PM on a special programming show ‘Follow the Blues LIVE’ on Star Sports 1 SD/HD. The segment on the show will witness the announcement and the reactions from the appointed coach.

    With the ‘Home Season of Cricket’ starting from September 20th with South Africa touring India, this announcement is vital for Team India and the future tournaments. The three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) conducting interviews of the six shortlisted candidates in Mumbai and have finally reached a conclusion. Apart from Shastri, the other three contenders for the position are Tom Moody, Mike Hesson, Phil Simmons, Robin Singh and Lalchand Rajput are in the running

    Catch the LIVE Press Conference where the final announcement of Team India’s coach will telecast 6PM onwards only on Star Sports 1 SD/HD.

    Call your DTH and cable operator now to subscribe to Star Sports 1 SD/HD