Category: Sports

Willow TV acquires exclusive US media rights for IPL ’17

MUMBAI: Willow TV, the primary broadcaster for cricket in North America, has acquired the exclusive media rights in the United States for the VIVO IPL 2017 Twenty20 tournament.

The IPL (Indian Premier League) is the world’s leading professional cricket tournament, with record-breaking fan attendance and multimedia consumption. Willow previously broadcast the IPL in 2014, at the time setting cricket viewership records in the United States.

“Willow is delighted to bring exclusive live coverage of the VIVO IPL 2017 to our viewers across television and digital platforms,” said Willow CEO Vijay Srinivasan. “Viewer interest for cricket in the US stands at unparalleled levels, as over 1.4 million households watched the ICC World Twenty20 on Willow in 2016. We look to continue to set new all-time high ratings this year. The IPL is the crown jewel of professional Twenty20 tournaments, and cricket fans in the US are in for a treat when the tournament kicks off on 5 April.”

The 10th season of the VIVO IPL 2017 starts on 5 April with the defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad against last year’s runner up Royal Challengers Bangalore. The tournament features 60 matches, played over 47 days in multiple venues across India. Willow will provide live coverage of all 60 matches, culminating with the final on 21 May.

Willow, which is part of Times Internet (India’s largest diversified digital group), is one of the fastest growing sports networks in the U.S, and the only channel that is dedicated solely to cricket. The channel, along with its “TV Everywhere” service, is distributed by the largest satellite, cable, IPTV and OTT platforms in a variety of subscription packages.

February 28, 2017
Sony Pix & ESPN to telecast Global Powerboat Racing live from 3-5 March

MUMBAI: Nexa P1 Powerboat, Indian Grand Prix of the Seas, will be telecast live globally and promises to deliver the most comprehensive coverage in the history of powerboating. Seeding a global sport from India, the Nexa P1 Powerboat, Indian Grand Prix of the Seas, will set a global benchmark for the telecast of the sport and the entertainment around it.

Procam International is creating history of sorts by launching the global powerboat racing series in Mumbai from 3-5 March and Nexa is title sponsor for inaugural Grand Prix of the Seas series.

Nexa P1 Powerboat, India Grand Prix of the Seas, is the first of the UIM recognized Grand Prix of the Seas. The 5-tier hierarchal structure will consist of a World Cup at the apex (to be held biennially starting in 2020) the Grand Prix of the Seas series, which will define a World Champion, inter-continental series, national series and regional series in orders of level of competition.

The telecast repertoire includes nine hours of live programming on Sony ESPN and Sony Pix over the race weekend, content that will be produced by Initium Productions and Emmy Award recognized British director, Westbury Gillet. The production will also be the result of synergies between global, hi-tech crew and equipment flown in from 3 continents. Another global first for the sport is the introduction of the ‘second screen’, a gamified graphics interface to be followed live on an internet-connected device for real-time access to gamified positions, telemetric race data & analytics in addition to the television broadcast.

Torchbearers of the distance running revolution in the country, anchored by the Mumbai marathon, the sixth largest distance running event race globally, Procam International is now extending their dominion from land to the maritime world by launching the Nexa P1 Powerboat, Indian Grand Prix of the Seas. With the hum and throttle of engines along the shorelines of Mumbai’s natural amphitheater – Marine Drive – through the weekend of 3rd March 2017, this new sporting paradigm will redefine India’s maritime landscape and spearhead a powerful movement for marine sustainability.

The Nexa P1 Powerboat, Indian Grand Prix of the Seas, which will be conducted on the first-ever course on water, comparable to a race track, challenges status quo and combines the best in innovative technology and bespoke maritime strategy.

The Grand Prix of the Seas is the brainchild of P1 Global, the world’s leading maritime motor sports brand in partnership with Procam International and the coming together of Indian and global institutions, partners, federations, governments, agencies and sponsors, reinforced by the endorsement of the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), the global governing federation to create a truly unique experience that will infuse within the ecosystem a joy of water.

The Government of Maharashtra, the Mumbai Port Trust, and the Indian Navy, the fifth-largest navy in the world supports this initiative. The event is being conducted under the auspices of the Maharashtra Tourism and Development Corporation (MTDC) and implemented under the aegis of the Yachting Association of India (YAI), while being sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM). The Government of India and the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs have also extended their full support..

Procam International MD Anil Singh said, “Procam created a national movement in running, and now we are aiming to create a global movement on water. With the Nexa P1 Powerboat, Indian Grand Prix of the Seas, sports fans will experience the joy of watching the fastest men and women on sea competing on the world’s first-ever course on water..”

UIM Off-Shore Commission president Jean Marie Van Lancker said, “The global spotlight will be on Mumbai as it makes history by launching the debut race of the world championship series. The sheer enormity of this race and its many firsts will make it a worldwide phenomenon and re-define the parameters of powerboat racing.The UIM extends its full support to Procam International and all its partners to make this edition a resounding success.”

Global Partners to the event, P1 Global chairman, Asif Rangoonwala said, “ Powerboat P1 in partnership with Procam International are delighted to announce the launch of the Nexa P1 Powerboat, Indian Grand Prix of the Seas. This debut race is the culmination of six years of dedicated work in developing a new series that delivers a clear and logical structure, which celebrates the best powerboat racers in the world and redefines sport in the maritime ecosystem. Having reached the launch stage, it was vitally important to secure a race venue befitting the scale of this achievement and we believe that Mumbai, a world-class city in so many ways, is the ideal base for the start of this new journey. I have always marveled at the splendour of Marine Drive and am glad that this natural amphitheater will be brought to life with our P1 powerboats racing centre-stage for millions of fans of this sport.”

The race weekend for the Indian Grand Prix of the Seas will have seven teams competing, with every team comprising of two P1 Panther powerboats, each manned by a pilot and navigator competing in identical boats along a 5.2 km defined race track, the first ever on water. The podium teams will be decided by the combined best times of both boats based on the skills of the team’s pilots and navigators post two races on March 4, Saturday, and one Grand Final on Sunday, March 5th. With the best pilots and navigators from the world participating in this event, the race weekend will also be witness to the first-ever sport in India that has male and female as equal participants, with skill and strategy deciding the winner.

A 28-foot powerboat powered by a 250 HP engine, reaches a maximum speed of 120 km/hr on water, an equivalent of 240 km/hr on land. With a low centre of gravity providing greater stability and improved handling, the P1 Panther is also designed to race in just 6 feet of water resulting in a fan-friendly, close-to-shore racing experience.

The P1 Panther has been specially designed to make this a truly green racing event. With low emissions, it is unbeatable on clean and quiet performance and has been given the Clean Air Excellence Award by the EPA. The boat has been certified under EU standards and has a 3-STAR CARB rating which means 65% fewer emissions than 1-STAR engines. It emits less noise and no smoke, uses less fuel and requires no oil changes thanks to the advanced fuel and oil injection system

An event of this magnitude is not possible without the unstinted support from its partners and sponsors who have extended their faith in the sport. Partners include the Maruti Suzuki’ new premium sales channel, NEXA, as the Title Sponsor. Maruti Suzuki executive director marketing & sales R S Kalsi said, “At Nexa, we are committed to offer hospitality that pampers and technology that’s innovative for our consumers. NEXA is at the forefront of bringing innovation & delivering outstanding experiences which are new and exciting, just like P1 Powerboat Racing which builds experiences based on high adrenaline action and superior technology”.

Other partners include: Trident Hotel as Hospitality Partner that offers panoramic views of Marine Drive & the Queen’s Necklace; India’s largest English daily, The Times of India as Print Partner; Radio Mirchi as Radio Partner; The world’s largest container shipping company, Maersk, as Shipping Partner; The Patient and Family Centric, Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital, as Medical Partner; Nautica, the water inspired global lifestyle brand, as Style Partner; Mahindra Marine as Boat Building Partner; Sony ESPN as the Broadcast Partner.

The Joy Of Water Foundation (which is being set up in India) is set-up with the aim of safeguarding and restoring the marine and coastal environment by raising awareness through education and effective partnerships with a mission to deliver inspiring programs that engage understanding of the value of marine life together with increased personal responsibility, particularly amongst young people.

The high-octane action on water will be complemented by a Race Village from March 3-5, at the Wilson Gymkhana Grounds on Marine Drive. The Race Village, a BCCL initiative, promises an exciting experience, complete with games, celebrity events and elite hospitality. The weekend will also be interspersed with various exhilarating attractions, including a Naval display and performances by Zapata & Jet Ski World Champions.

February 24, 2017
Star to host Premier League movement on 2 & 3 March, legend Alan Shearer to participate

MUMBAI: The Football Movement, jointly hosted by India On Track, is being held in partnership with the Premier League’s Indian broadcast partner Star Sports. The conference will bring British and Indian football organisations and businesses together to discuss ways to continue to grow the sport in India.

The UK businesses and Premier League football clubs including Arsenal, Everton, Manchester City, Southampton and Watford will attend the meet.

The UK Department for International Trade (DIT) together with India on Track (IOT) and the Premier League will bring key British and Indian football clubs, sports organizations and businesses together at the second holding of ‘The Football Movement’ conference in Mumbai.

This football conference, which takes place on 2 & 3 March , will give a platform to clubs, businesses and experts from India and the United Kingdom to interact and explore commercial opportunities in the sport.

The Football Movement, jointly hosted by India On Track, is being held in partnership with the Premier League’s Indian broadcast partner Star Sports. This two-¬‐day conference will feature keynote speakers including Richard Scudamore, Executive Chairman of the Premier League, St.John Gould, Director for UK Trade and Economics, India at the British High Commission and senior representatives of the Indian Super League and Premier League clubs. Panel sessions, workshops and keynote speeches will provide a platform for UK and Indian businesses to discuss potential opportunities and the sustainability of the game in India’s emerging football sector.

A delegation of UK businesses and top British football clubs are participating in the conference as part of DIT’s ‘Sport is GREAT’ campaign. The delegation includes top football companies such as; Amaven, Alad, Baltic Publications, Final Third Sports Media, PwC, Deltatre, AVC Immedia, Barriers International India, Steer Davies Gleave and senior management from the following clubs; Arsenal, Southampton, Everton, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Watford and Charlton Athletic.

The theme for this year’s conference is ‘Strengthening the Football Ecosystem in India’. It will focus on the broader aspects of the game, with a view to assessing the current landscape in greater detail. The conference seeks to address the core pillars of modern-¬‐ day football such as commercial sustainability, youth development, leagues and competitions, broadcasting, support services as well as the role of corporates through CSR.

St.John Gould, Director for UK Trade and Economics, India at the British High Commission, New Delhi will deliver the welcome address at the conference, which will be attended by distinguished panelists and speakers, including industry leaders, policy-¬‐ makers, investors, and pioneers in the field of commerce of football, from both India and the UK.

St. John Gould said: “As someone who spends a huge chunk of his waking hours thinking about the ‘the beautiful game’, this conference is very exciting. But I am not just a fan, with a cold-eyed business approach; this is one of India’s boom areas. There is a rapid growing interest in football in India. The Premier League dominates the screens and is avidly followed. The huge success of the Indian Super League has captured the imagination of the next generation of Indians and they now look at football as a serious sport. UK football wants to be part of that. I am delighted to welcome the Premier League, clubs, business, experts and legends to India.”

“From cutting – edge sports technology to skills, we want to bring the best of British football to India and use this conference to explore opportunities for collaboration”

Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore said: “Football continues to grow apace in India and the Football Movement conference will provide an excellent opportunity to knowledge share with local clubs and leagues, and to meet businesses interested in contributing to the growth of the sport.”

“At the Premier League, we and our clubs are committed to supporting the development of all levels of Indian football. At the top end of the sport we have a co-¬‐operation agreement with the Indian Super League, and at grassroots level our Premier Skills programme works across the country to provide opportunities for local coaches and referees to take AIFF accredited courses. The Football Movement conference will provide a great platform for us to discuss with other football bodies and businesses how we might work together to further grow all elements of the sport. I am looking forward to attending.”

“Football is at an inflection point in India driven by a passionate and young fan base. The deep fan affinity for the Premier League and the mass following of the Indian Super League all point to a great future for the sport in India. Our vision of a day when Indian fans would have their own home-¬‐grown heroes to follow is soon going to be a reality. The ‘Football Movement’ is a great opportunity for stakeholders from across the ecosystem to unify and collaborate to take Football in India to fulfil that vision, said Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director of Star India, the Premier League’s official broadcast partner in India, who will also be speaking at the event.

India On Track founder and CEO Vivek Sethia added:
“Indian Football has seen a seismic shift in its positioning in the sports ecosystem in India in the last 3 years with the emergence of the Indian Super League (ISL). We are now at the cusp of a new phase in the country’s footballing journey and to ensure its continued growth, we need to lay down strong foundations by creating a sustainable support ecosystem that will keep pace with the rapid growth of the game.”

The Indian delegates will get an opportunity to meet English footballing legend and the Premier League’s all-¬‐time top goal scorer (260 Premier League goals), Alan Shearer, who will present a special address at the conference.

Alan Shearer said: “I’ve seen the power football has to bring communities together all over the world, whether through playing or coming together to watch the sport. It’s fantastic to see the growing interest in the Premier League in India and I hope that The Football Movement will identify opportunities and help establish partnerships that will contribute to the continued development of the local game.”

The Premier League trophy will be on display at the conference and delegates will have the chance to have their photograph taken next to the silverware.

The Football Movement is also part of the UK/India Year of Culture 2017 a major celebration of bilateral cultural exchange, jointly organized by the UK Government and Government of India.

February 24, 2017
DSport bags rights of Chinese League, IPL on cards

MUMBAI: Discovery’s newest offering in the sports industry, DSport, has acquired the rights of the Chinese Super League (CSL). The tournament will be aired from 11 March.

Launched on 6 February, the channel is guided by former MD of ESPN Star and former CEO of Dish TV India R.C. Venkateish.

Venkateish said that the star-studded tournament will be telecast from March 11. Big names like Oscar and Carlos Tevez have already joined the league. He is also looking forward to announce about getting the Wayne Rooney deal with the Shanghai team by the end of this month.

The channel has also acquired rights for three other major national football leagues — the Brazilian League, Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Portuguese league.

It will also telecast the Tour de France from this season, and it will also beam major horse racing events like the Dubai Racing World Cup as well as the Melbourne Cup.

DSport is also willing to take part in the bidding process for bagging the rights to telecast the IPL later this year. Venkateish will steer the channel to bid for it.

Also Read:

Telecast rights-holder D SPORT to air Aus Women’s Open featuring Aditi

February 22, 2017

IPL 2017 auction: Ben Stokes, Tymal Mills top overseas buys, Karn Sharma biggest Indian buy

MUMBAI: England’s all rounder Ben Stokes at Rs. 145 million (RPS) followed by compatriot Tymal Mills at Rs. 120 million (RCB) were amongst the top foreign buys, while Indians player Karn Sharma was picked by MI for Rs. 35 million at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 auction that began in Bengaluru Monday morning.

The auctions are on for the tenth season of the IPL, which will run from 5 April – 21 May, 2017. At the auctions in Bangalore, 351 cricketers are under the hammer. The eight franchisees will bag players with an aim to balance their sides.

The spotlight was on English players Ben Stokes, Tymal Mills and Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy, South Africans Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir, Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan and Kiwis Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner, Corey Anderson and Colin de Grandhomme.

A total of 66 players were sold, including 27 overseas players in the IPL auction 2017. Here is the list of the players bought by the teams.

Delhi Daredevils

Players sold: Angelo Mathews (Rs. 20 million), Corey Anderson (Rs. 10 million), Kagiso Rabada (Rs. 50 million), Pat Cummins (Rs. 45 million ), Ankit Bawne (Rs. 10,00000), Aditya Tare (Rs. 25,00000), Murugan Ashwin (Rs.10 million), Navdeep Saini (Rs. 10,00000), Shashank Singh (Rs. 10,00000)

Players retained: JP Duminy, Mohammed Shami, Quinton de Kock, Shahbaz Nadeem, Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra, Shreyas Iyer, Zaheer Khan, Sam Billings, Sanju Samson, Chris Morris, Carlos Brathwaite, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant, CV Milind, Syed Ahmed, Pratyush Singh.

Total players in the squad: 26. Total slots left: 1. Overseas slots left: 0. Unspent Purse: Rs. 90.5 million.

Gujarat Lions

Players sold: Nathu Singh (Rs. 50 lakh), Basil Thampy (Rs. 85 lakh), Tejas Singh Baroka (Rs. 10 lakh), Manpreet Gony (Rs. 60 lakh), Jason Roy (Rs. 1 Crore), Munaf Patel (Rs. 30 Lakh), Chirag Suri (Rs. 10 Lakh), Shelly Shaurya (Rs. 10 Lakh), Shubham Agrawal (10 Lakh), Pratham Singh (10 Lakh), Aksh Deep Nath (10 Lakh)

Players retained: Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, James Faulkner, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Bravo, Aaron Finch, Dwayne Smith, Dinesh Karthik, Dhawal Kulkarni, Praveen Kumar, Andrew Tye, Ishan Kishan, Pradeep Sangwan, Shivil Kaushik, Shadab Jakati, Jaydev Shah.

Total players in the squad: 27. Total slots left: 0. Overseas slots left: 1. Unspent Purse: INR 10.50 Croreore

Kings XI Punjab

Players sold: Eoin Morgan (Rs. 2 Crore), Rahul Tewatia (25 Lakh), T Natarajan (3 Crore), Matt Henry (50 Lakh), Varun Aaron (2.80 Crore), Martin Guptill (50 Lakh), Darren Sammy (30 Lakh), Rinku Singh (10 Lakh)

Players retained: David Miller, Manan Vohra, Axar Patel, Glenn Maxwell, Gurkeerat Singh, Anureet Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Shaun Marsh, Wriddhiman Saha, M Vijay, Nikhil Naik, Mohit Sharma, Marcus Stoinis, KC Cariappa, Armaan Jaffer, Pardeep Sahu, Swapnil Singh, Hashim Amla.

Total players in the squad: 27. Total slots left: 0. Overseas slots left: 0. Unspent Purse: INR 13.90 crore.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Players sold: Trent Boult (5 Crore), Chris Woakes (4.20 Crore), Rishi Dhawan (55 Lakh), Nathan Coulter-Nile (3.5 Crore), Rovman Powell (30 Lakh), R Sanjay Yadav (10 Lakh), Ishank Jaggi (10 Lakh), Darren Bravo (50 Lakh), Sayan Ghosh (10 Lakh).

Players retained: Gautam Gambhir, Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Robin Uthappa, Shakib Al Hasan, Chris Lynn, Umesh Yadav, Yusuf Pathan, Sheldon Jackson, Ankit Singh Rajput, Andre Russell.

Total players in the squad: 23. Total slots left: 4. Overseas slots left: 0. Unspent Purse: Rs.5.40 crore.

Mumbai Indians

Players sold: Nicholas Pooran (30 Lakh), Mitchell Johnson (2 crore), K Gowtham (2 crore), Karn Sharma (3.2 Ccore), Saurabh Tiwary (30 Lakh), A Gunarathna (30 Lakh), K Khejroliya (10 Lakh).

Players retained: Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Harbhajan Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Gopal, Lendl Simmons, Vinay Kumar, Parthiv Patel, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nitish Rana, Siddhesh Lad, J Suchith, Hardik Pandya, Jos Buttler, Tim Southee, Jithesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Punia.

Total players in the squad: 27. Total slots left: 0. Overseas slots left: 0. Unspent purse: Rs. 3.35 crore.

Rising Pune Supergiants

Players sold: Ben Stokes (14.50 Crore), Jaydev Unadkat (30 Lakh), Rahul Chahar (10 Lakh), Saurabh Kumar (10 Lakh), Dan Christian (1 Crore), Milind Tandon (10 Lakh), R Tripathi (10 Lakh), Manoj Tiwary (50 Lakh), Lockie Ferguson (50 Lakh)

Players retained: MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin, Steven Smith, Faf du Plessis, Mitchell Marsh, Ashok Dinda, Ankush Bains, Rajat Bhatia, Ankit Sharma, Ishwar Pandey, Adam Zampa, Jaskaran Singh, Baba Aparajith, Deepak Chahar, Usman Khawaja, Mayank Agarwal.

Total players in the squad: 26. Total slots left: 1. Overseas slots left: 1. Unspent purse: Rs. 30 lakh.

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Players sold: Pawan Negi (1 Crore), Tymal Mills (12 Crore), Aniket Choudhary (INR 2 Crore), Praveen Dubey (10 Lakh), Billy Stanlake (30 Lakh)

Players retained: Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Mandeep Singh, Adam Milne, Sarfaraz Khan, S Aravind, Kedar Jadhav, Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Samuel Badree, Iqbal Abdulla, Travis Head, Sachin Baby, Avesh Khan, Tabraiz Shamsi

Total players in the squad: 24. Total slots left: 3. Overseas slots left: 0. Unspent purse: Rs. 2.42 crore.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Player sold: Tanmay Agarwal (10 Lakh), Mohammad Nabi (30 Lakh), Ekalavya Dwivedi (75 Lakh), Rashid Khan (4 Crore), Pravin Tambe (10 Lakh), Chris Jordan (50 Lakh), Ben Laughlin (30 Lakh), Mohammed Siraj (2.60 crore)

Players retained: Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, David Warner, Moises Henriques, Naman Ojha, Ricky Bhui, Kane Williamson, Siddarth Kaul, Bipul Sharma, Ashish Nehra, Yuvraj Singh, Ben Cutting, Abhimanyu Mithun, Mustafizur Rahman, Barinder Sran, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar.

Total players in the squad: 25. Total slots left: 2. Overseas slots left:0. Unspent purse: Rs. 12.25 crore.

February 20, 2017

IPL: BCCI interim admin issues directions on player auction

MUMBAI: BCCI’s Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Sunday issued the following directions in respect of the upcoming IPL Player Auctions to be held in Bengaluru on 20th February 2017:

1. C. K. Khanna, Amitabh Choudhary, Anirudh Chaudhry and any other persons who claim to be ex-officio members of the IPL GC on account of being office bearers of the BCCI shall not be entitled to attend the IPL Player Auctions since the issue regarding validity of the undertakings filed by such persons pursuant to the order dated 2nd January 2017 is still pending before the Supreme Court.

2. In respect of other members of the IPL GC, only those persons who are not disqualified in terms of the strict understanding/ interpretation of the disqualifications in terms of the various orders issued by the Supreme Court may attend the IPL Player Auctions.

3. The Committee of Administrators does not have complete data to determine whether each of the members of the IPL GC other than the ex-officio members are disqualified or not. In view thereof, the said other members are requested to assess for themselves as to whether they are disqualified or not. Should they attend the IPL Player Auctions, the concerned members would be deemed to have undertaken and represented that they are not disqualified as aforesaid.

4. In the event less than two of the members are available to attend the IPL Player Auctions on 20 February 2017, any role that may ordinarily have been performed by the IPL GC in relation to the IPL Player Auctions will be performed by such persons as the Committee of Administrators may separately designate for the purpose, if required.

Also Read:

BCCI releases RFP for service related to VIVO IPL 2017

Sony Six to telecast IPL player auction live

IPL digital & TV rights tender process opens, new contract may be between Rs 18 & 30k cr

February 19, 2017
BCCI releases RFP for service related to VIVO IPL 2017

MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released the Request for Proposal (RFP) for Indian Premier League for the right to be appointed as a media agency in relation to the IPL.

The proposal documents in sealed envelopes shall be delivered in person by an authorised representative of the interested party by 3pm on 2 March 2017 to The Cricket Centre, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai 400 020.

This document — the “RFP” — constitutes a request for proposal from persons who consider that they have the desire, competence and expertise to be appointed to take on the right and obligation to be appointed as a media agency in relation to the IPL in accordance with and as contemplated by this RFP and the Services Agreement. The successful Interested party shall be obliged to provide the Services in respect of the 2017 and 2018 Seasons and, if the BCCI exercises its right to renew the Services Agreement, in respect of the 2019 Season. The attention of interested parties is drawn to Section 7 which sets out the deadline for the submission of Proposals.

BCCI is seeking proposals from reputed third parties to acquire the right to be appointed as BCCI’s exclusive media agency in relation to the League in the manner described in and contemplated by this RFP and the Services Agreement. No proposal from any party who intends to re-sell the right to provide the Services will be accepted.

Requisite Experience

Each proposal must be from an interested party which can demonstrate the following, supplying evidence thereof as part of its proposal:

(a) extensive and relevant experience in providing services which are the same as or similar to the Services;

(b) significant experience of dealing with vendors of TV, print and OOH advertising throughout India and of purchasing such advertising on behalf of “blue chip” companies;

(c) Global and India wide presence;

(d) a strong financial background (in relation to which the attention of Interested

(e) sufficient human and other resources to provide the Services as contemplated in this RFP and as is reflected in the Services Agreement including without limitation a sufficient number of suitably qualified employees who will be involved in providing the Services and one person who will act as the prime account manager and the point person between BCCI and the successful

(f) Sufficient contacts, expertise and resources in order to provide the Services; and

(g) References satisfactory to BCCI from entities for which the Interested party has supplied services which are the same as or similar to the Services.

Proposals will be evaluated on their overall merits to include, without limitation, the proposed Fee, the Media Plan, the standard of delivery of the services.

BCCI reserves the right, to be exercised in its sole discretion, to waive each and any of the conditions and requirements in relation to any Interested party.

Guarantees

Depending upon the financial strength and/or depth of other resources available to the successful interested party, BCCI reserves the right to insist upon a parent company guarantee in the manner contemplated by the Services Agreement. The failure to provide such a parent company guarantee (if requested) shall constitute a material breach of the Services Agreement and may lead to its termination.

Eligibility requirement

For the purpose of this RFP, any entity in the world (which expression includes, as regards corporate entities, each Interested Party and/or its parent or subsidiary companies), which satisfy the following requirements as at the date of this RFP (or such other specific date as is specified in this RFP in relation to any individual criteria) is eligible to participate in this process.

Financial strength

The most recent audited annual turnover of each Interested party must have exceeded Rs. 30 crore and, for these purposes, only the annual turnover for the financial year of the Interested party is relevant and turnover from any company in the same Group as the Interested party may not be consolidated with or otherwise added to the Interested party’s turnover for the purposes of satisfying this threshold.

Proposal rejection

Any proposal submitted by a person which fails to satisfy the eligibility requirements set out in this RFP may be accepted or rejected by BCCI in its absolute discretion. BCCI shall not pre-judge or advise an interested party whether it is qualified or not. The interested party must submit its proposal in accordance with the process specified in this RFP and enable BCCI to then evaluate its proposal.

BCCI reserves the right not to accept or to reject any proposal.

Providing services

Details of the Services are set out in Schedule 1 to the Services Agreement. The Services are to be delivered and invoiced to BCCI in the manner which is contemplated in this RFP and as is set out in the Services Agreement. The Services to be provided for the 2018 Season and, if the Services Agreement is renewed by BCCI, for the 2019 Season will remain as they were for the 2017 Season unless BCCI, it its sole discretion, decides to change them to any material extent in which case the BCCI and the successful Interested party will discuss and agree any necessary change to the fee.

BCCI will countersign the Services Agreement within five days of announcing the successful interested party.

Requests from interested parties for clarification and/or further information relating to this RFP must be addressed to BCCI and marked for the attention of Hemang Amin and received by BCCI by 6.00 pm IST on or before 22 February 2017 by way of electronic mail (e-mail) sent in .doc or .docx format to rfp@bcci.tv. Any clarification issued by BCCI will automatically become part of this RFP.

BCCI intends to ask each relevant Interested party (being Interested parties whose documents in Envelopes A, B and C conform with the requirements of this RFP) to make a presentation to the BCCI on the day on which the proposals are submitted, being 2 March 2017.

February 18, 2017
Sony Six to telecast IPL player auction live

MUMBAI: The sports cluster of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) is all geared up to broadcast the Vivo IPL 2017 player auction live and exclusive. The auction will be aired from Bangalore on 20 February 9 am onwards on Sony Six SD and Sony Six HD channels.

A precursor to the IPL tournament, the Vivo IPL auction will see eight IPL teams bidding to build up their rosters from a host of impressive names including fast-bowler Ishant Sharma, all-rounder Ben Stokes, ODI and T20I captain Eoin Morgan, all-rounder Chris Woakes, Australian fast men Mitchell Johnson and Pat Cummins, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews, Dale Steyn, Trent Boult, Corey Anderson, Pawan Negi, Irfan Pathan and Saurabh Tiwary, amongst others.

Sony Pictures Networks India president sports and distribution Rajesh Kaul said, “The tenth season of Vivo IPL on our network will see the participation of some of the top Indian and International names in cricket. The auction will set the competitive tone of the league with the eight teams strategically bidding to build up their formidable line-up. In order to enhance the viewing experience for cricket enthusiasts, we will provide expert insights on the bidding strategies during the auction.”

As many as 140 cricketers including 44 overseas players have been retained by the franchises for the 2017 season. Viewers will get to witness a total of 351 players up for auction out of which are 122 capped players.

The auction will be led by Richard Madley, a professional auctioneer from England who has been driving the player auctions since the first player auction in 2008 which coincidentally also took place on 20 February, 2008. Former Indian cricketer, Murali Kartik and Extraaa Innings host Gaurav Kapur will be present at the auction and will engage viewers with their expert insights on the bidding strategies employed by the teams.

February 18, 2017
Telecast rights-holder D SPORT to air Aus Women’s Open featuring Aditi

MUMBAI: Indian golf fans will have the opportunity to watch teen sensation Aditi Ashok playing at the ISPS Handa Australian Women’s Open with Discovery’s sports channel D SPORT deciding to telecast the prestigious event in India.

The tournament is considered to be one of the richest ladies golf tournaments with USD 1.3-million prize money, PTI reported. It is a part of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) of the U.S., and will be played at 146-year-old Royal Adelaide Golf Club in South Australia.

In this edition, 18-year-old Aditi, who is the first Indian girl, to win a Ladies European Tour, will participate in the tournament, which also features world no. 1 Lydia Ko of New Zealand, no. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand and defending champion Haru Nomura of Japan.

D SPORT has the telecast rights of the LPGA, which is best known for running the LPGA Tour. It will telecast world’s premier ladies golf tournaments such as ANA Inspiration, Women’s PGA Championship, US Women’s Open, Ricoh Women’s British Open and The Evian Championship.

February 16, 2017
IPL digital & TV rights tender process opens, new contract may be between Rs 18 & 30k cr

MUMBAI: The BCCI has opened the tender process for the digital and television rights of the Indian Premier League. The previous 10-year deal with Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) is scheduled to come to fruition at the end of 2017 season.

The new contract will give the winner rights for the next 10 seasons, that is, up to 2027. The Board of Cricket Control India is open to accepting bids till 25 October.

BCCI generated Rs 6700 crore from the previous contract with Sony but the league grew several times in a decade. The digital and broadcast rights will come under consideration once again for the 2018 season onwards and it could fetch the BCCI between Rs 18,000 and 30,000 crore.

At present, the digital rights of the league are with Star India which also has the overseas media rights except for the UK and the US. The TV would be given till 2027 whereas the digital rights till 2022. The Committee of Administrators (COA) will then go through the tenders and suggest changes, if needed, before floating them.

However, there is no set time-frame and the newly appointed BCCI panel may take their time to consider all the options before they take the final decision.

Also Read :

IPL auction may happen by 26 Feb

Former CAG Vinod Rai to head BCCI

February 13, 2017