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Category: Sports

  • Rajkot IPL team roars at season 9 auction; pockets Raina, Jadeja

    Rajkot IPL team roars at season 9 auction; pockets Raina, Jadeja

    MUMBAI: The newly formed Rajkot based Indian Premier League (IPL) team owned by Intex Mobiles has unveiled its first set of players for the upcoming IPL season 9.

     

    In the auction held for the two newly formed teams, Intex managed to win some of the brightest stars of the game. The bid for this season was held at NCA Grounds in Mumbai, Maharashtra today.

     

    At the auction, the team successfully bid for Suresh Raina (Rs 12.5 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (Rs 9.5 crore), James Faulkner (Rs 5.5 crore) and Brendon McCullum (Rs 7.5 crore). With this, the Rajkot IPL team has set the ball rolling for a star-studded line-up to represent the team in the ninth season of the cash rich tourney, starting 9 April, 2016.

     

    “Our intent is to put together a really strong team to ensure a thrilling tournament for the fans. I am very happy with the players that we have been able to fix today as they are amongst the best talents in the sports. Being a new team we will inject new ideas and hopefully add lots of excitement to the upcoming season,” stated Rajkot IPL team owner and Intex Technologies director Keshav Bansal.

     

    “Intex is the leading domestic mobile handset brand in Gujarat and have a huge connect with the people of the state. We are absolutely delighted and it is an honour for us to bring the IPL to the vibrant and cricket loving state of Gujarat. I am confident of getting the love and support of our fans in Rajkot and all across the state,” he added.

  • Has KPL opened a new door for cricket crazy broadcasters?

    Has KPL opened a new door for cricket crazy broadcasters?

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media) with its recent foray into regional cricket league has given the sports industry an alternative to mainstream international cricket. The network tasted success with the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) telecast live on Sony Six and Sony Kix, which fetched good viewership.

    Cricket in India has become an expensive proposition for broadcasters with acquisition costs soaring sky high. Even as the number of sportcasters with heavy purses increase in the television ecosystem, the 365 days calendar is turning out to be too small for them to accommodate all the cricketing action through the year.

    While kabaddi showed the nation that cricket was not the only sport that created the all-pervading excitement, in a country where cricket is as big as a religion, nothing can suppress it.

    Sports channels in India without cricket in its portfolio are still considered as wingless birds. The sport-broadcasting ecosystem is going to see a tsunami of developments in the near future. The ESPN – Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media) deal has already prepped the industry for what’s in store. The price tag attached to the broadcasting rights of the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL) is being speculated to double if not more when they come up for fresh bidding in 2017. The rights currently vest with SPN India and were acquired after signing a $1 billion deal for 10 years.

    What’s more, it will be a tad too optimistic to assume that one of the fastest growing media conglomerate in India, Viacom 18 will not enter the sports space in the near future. Speculations are rife that the Peter Hutton led Eurosport has a keen eye on the Indian market and is planning an entry as early as sometime next year. Star India, which holds the rights to BCCI and ICC sporting events, is also likely to aggressively bid for the IPL. Star recently acquired IPL’s digital rights for three years for a mammoth sum of Rs 302.2 crore.

    Media mogul Subhash Chandra’s love for cricket is a well known fact. Chandra’s Ten Sports holds the broadcasting rights of multiple international cricket boards. Nimbus Communications’ Harish Thawani has also been taking baby steps towards cricket. Recently his sports channel Neo Sports acquired the broadcasting rights of Bangladesh Premier League.

    At a time like this, KPL has come as a new and lucrative avenue as far as cricket is concerned. Sony Six and Sony Kix business head Prasana Krishnan is of the opinion that the seriousness of the Karnataka State Cricket Association plays a vital role in garnering high viewership. “KPL is actually a very sincere effort from the association. They have been doing it with precision. Despite it being a low budgeted affair, it is being executed with sheer class,” he tells Indiantelevision.com.

    The timing of the league is also a vital factor as per Krishnan. “It is played post the monsoons and during that period there is neither much international cricket featuring India nor are there many big leagues scheduled. At a time like this, when you add good production value, it makes for a good property,” he informs.

    However, it does beg one vital question: Are there enough monetising avenues available? “KPL for us is an experiment. More than revenue, it’s a matter of extending our portfolio. The revenue will depend on quality. It depends on the players available. For now, it’s a portfolio formation for us. We will look into other aspects with time,” says Krishnan.

    Neo Sports EVP programming Mautik Tolia also feels that regional leagues can be a good prospect for broadcasters provided the expectations are realistic. “Regional cricket leagues helps broadcasters in reaching out to a new audience. Our foray into Bangladesh Premier League has given us a new set of audience from the West Bengal region. If there is an opportunity to acquire rights of any such regional cricket league, we will aggressively bid for it,” Tolia says.

    A senior media planner feels that if broadcasters package and promote regional cricket leagues, it can be a profitable proposition. “There are a good number of regional advertisers, who cannot afford the high ad rates of international cricket tourneys. If there is good return on investment, advertisers will like to be there. But the broadcaster will have to take the sport seriously,” the planner asserts on condition of anonymity.

    In the west, school and college championships in NBA and Rugby garner a huge traction. What’s more, sports broadcasters too back it aggressively and produce it with serious energy. However, the scenario is a little different with cricket in India as per Krishnan. “NBA or Soccer scout for players from schools and colleges. There is no other tournament involved in the system. With cricket, a cricketer has club and Ranji commitments, which are all 365 days engagements. So it will be unfair to compare this to the west. We will evaluate all possibilities and if we find a regional league, which has quality players involved in it and is played at a time when team India is not in action, we will go for it,” he affirms.

    It was recently reported that Chandra was planning to start a cricket league in Chandigarh. It remains to be seen how broadcasters react to SPN India’s start. One this is certain that channels need to look beyond international cricket to have the sport in their portfolio without burning a hole in their pockets. Who does it and on what scale is only a matter of wait and watch.

    Ratings of KPL 2015

  • ICC T20: Dharamshala to host India vs Pakistan match, finals at Eden Gardens

    ICC T20: Dharamshala to host India vs Pakistan match, finals at Eden Gardens

    MUMBAI: Sourav Ganguly’s tenure as Cricket Association of Bengal president is already off to a flying start. While as a player the southpaw made his crackling test cricket debut with a century at Lords, as an administrator now, he’s writing his own script. Eden Gardens, which was denied a single India match during 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, will now host the final of the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup. The International Cricket Council (ICC), after rounds of inspection, finally gave a green signal to Eden Gardens.

    To add to the delight of Indian cricket fans, the board meeting in Mumbai led by ICC chairman Shashank Manohar also announced an India vs Pakistan fixture, which will be played on 19 March, 2016. The match between the arch rivals will be hosted by Dharmshala.

    The International T20 tournament will kickstart from 8 March, 2016 and continue till 3 April, 2016. Other than Eden Gardens and Dharmshala, the tournament will be staged across six other stadiums. Star India is the official broadcaster of the tournament.

    The International T20 tournament will kickstart from 8 March, 2016 and continue till 3 April, 2016. Other than Eden Gardens and Dharmshala, the tournament will be staged across six other stadiums. Star India is the official broadcaster of the tournament.

    The men’s event will carry a total prize money of $5.6 million, which is an 86 per cent increase from the 2014 tournament, while the total prize money for the women’s event is $400,000, which is a 122 per cent increase from the Bangladesh event held in 2014.

    The first round matches in the men’s event will take place in Dharamsala and Nagpur from 8-13 March and will feature Bangladesh, Netherlands, Ireland, debutant Oman in Group A and Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and Afghanistan in Group B. In a double-header on the opening day on 8 March, Zimbabwe will face Hong Kong in the afternoon match, to be followed by the evening match between Scotland and Afghanistan. Both the matches will be played in Nagpur.

    Host country India, which won the inaugural tournament in South Africa in 2007, is in Super 10 Group 2 along with 2009 winner Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and the Group A winner. India will launch its campaign in Nagpur against New Zealand on 15 March, while it will go head to head with Pakistan in Dharamsala on 19 March. Its other matches will be against the Group A winner in Bengaluru on 23 March and Australia in Mohali on 27 March.

    Manohar, who attended the launch ceremony in Mumbai, said, “India is a country where cricket is a religion and not many places can match the passion for the game like India. I am fully confident that the Board of Control for Cricket in India will deliver an outstanding world cricket event, just like the ICC Cricket World Cups in 1987, 1996 and 2011.”

    He further added, “The ICC and BCCI are fully committed and will work together to make this a memorable event. I invite fans from across the world to witness fast-paced cricketing action on the field and enjoy the hospitality and culture of India, off it.”

    ICC CEO David Richardson said, “The ICC World Twenty20 is an event, which puts the world’s best cricketers in the shortest format of the game against each other in a nation versus nation contest. The Twenty20 format provides the perfect vehicle by which the ICC can further globalise the game, providing international exposure and opportunity to our top associate and affiliate members. The ICC World Twenty20 event structure is designed to provide highly competitive matches throughout, with eight evenly-matched sides fighting it out in the first round and the best two then getting in the mix with the top eight ranked teams in the Super 10 stage where the intensity and competition will be of the very highest level.”

    BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said, “We, as hosts, are fully prepared to organise one of the most entertaining spectacles in world cricket. We draw experience from hosting three ICC Cricket World Cups and are ready to make the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016 one of the most memorable events.”

    Buoyed by the preparations so far, he added, “Our preparations are in full swing, and BCCI and ICC are working together to make it a lifetime experience for the players and the fans. India is a vibrant country – young, full of colour, energy and exuberance – and is very much like the concept of Twenty20 cricket itself. We would encourage everyone involved with the game to experience the best of India.”

    The Full Schedule:

    Tournament schedule (‘M’ denotes men’s match; ‘W’ denotes women’s match; PM means afternoon match and Eve. means night match. Match timing to be confirmed in due course)

    Tue, 8 Mar – Zimbabwe v Hong Kong (PM), Nagpur; Scotland v Afghanistan (Eve.), Nagpur

    Wed, 9 Mar – Bangladesh v Netherlands (PM), Dharamsala; Ireland v Oman (Eve.), Dharamsala

    Thu, 10 Mar – Scotland v Zimbabwe (PM), Nagpur; Hong Kong v Afghanistan (Eve.)

    Fri, 11 Mar – Netherlands v Oman (PM), Dharamsala; Bangladesh v Ireland (Eve.), Dharamsala

    Sat, 12 Mar – Zimbabwe v Afghanistan (PM), Nagpur; Scotland v Hong Kong (Eve.), Nagpur

    Sun, 13 Mar – Netherlands v Ireland (PM), Dharamsala; Bangladesh v Oman (Eve.), Dharamsala

    Tue, 15 Mar – India v Bangladesh (W) (PM), Bengaluru; New Zealand v Sri Lanka (W) (Eve.), New Delhi; New Zealand v India (M) (Eve), Nagpur

    Wed, 16 Mar – West Indies v England (M) (PM), Mumbai; Pakistan v Q1A (M) (Eve.), Kolkata; West Indies v Pakistan (W) (Eve.), Chennai

    Thu, 17 Mar – England v Bangladesh (W) (PM), Bengaluru; Sri Lanka v Q1B (M) (Eve.), Kolkata

    Fri, 18 Mar – New Zealand v Ireland (W) (PM), Mohali; Australia v New Zealand (M) (PM), Dharamsala; South Africa v England (M) (Eve.), Mumbai; Australia v South Africa (W) (Eve.), Nagpur

    Sat, 19 Mar – India v Pakistan (W) (PM), New Delhi; India v Pakistan (M) (Eve.), Dharamsala

    Sun, 20 Mar – South Africa v Q1B (M) (PM), Mumbai; West Indies v Bangladesh (W) (PM), Chennai; Sri Lanka v Ireland (W) (Eve.), Mohali; Sri Lanka v West Indies (M) (Eve.), Bengaluru

    Mon, 21 Mar – Australia v New Zealand (W) (PM), Nagpur; Australia v Q1A (M) (Eve.), Bengaluru

    Tue, 22 Mar – England v India (W) (PM), Dharamsala; New Zealand v Pakistan (M) (Eve.), Mohali

    Wed, 23 Mar – England v Q1B (M) (PM), New Delhi; India v Q1A (M), (Eve.), Bengaluru; South Africa v Ireland (W) (Eve.), Chennai

    Thu, 24 Mar – England v West Indies (W) (Eve.), Dharamsala; Australia v Sri Lanka (W) (PM), New Delhi; Pakistan v Bangladesh (W) (Eve.), New Delhi

    Fri, 25 Mar – Pakistan v Australia (M) (PM), Mohali; South Africa v West Indies (M), (Eve.), Nagpur

    Sat, 26 Mar – Australia v Ireland (W) (PM), New Delhi; Q1A v New Zealand (M) (PM), Kolkata; England v Sri Lanka (M) (Eve.), New Delhi; South Africa v New Zealand (W) (Eve.), Bengaluru

    Sun, 27 Mar – West Indies v India (W) (PM), Mohali; India v Australia (M) (Eve.), Mohali; England v Pakistan (W) (Eve.), Chennai; Q1B v West Indie (M) (PM), Nagpur;

    Mon, 28 Mar – South Africa v Sri Lanka (W) (PM), Bengaluru; South Africa v Sri Lanka (M) (Eve.), New Delhi

    Tue, 29 Mar – Rest/travel day

    Wed, 30 Mar – Women’s semi-final (2nd group A v 1st group B) (PM), New Delhi; men’s semi-final (Super 10 Group 1 2nd v Super 10 Group 2 1st) (Eve.), New Delhi

    Thu, 31 Mar – Women’s semi-final (1st group A v 2nd group B) (PM), Mumbai; men’s semi-final (Super 10 Group 1 1st v Super 10 Group 2 2nd) (Eve.), Mumbai

    Fri, 1 Apr – Rest/travel day

    Sat, 2 Apr – Rest/travel day

    Sun, 3 April – Women’s final (PM), Kolkata; men’s final (Eve.), Kolkata

    *Warm-up schedule to be confirmed in due course

  • Virat Kohli picks stake in Pro Wrestling League’s Bengaluru Yodhas

    Virat Kohli picks stake in Pro Wrestling League’s Bengaluru Yodhas

    MUMBAI: Cricketer Virat Kohli has picked up a stake in the JSW Group-owned Pro Wrestling League franchise Bengaluru Yodhas.

     

    As co-owner of the team, Kohli who led the Indian team to a 3-0 Test series victory over South Africa recently, is all set to take it #FromBatToMat with this association with the Bengaluru franchise.

     

    The Pro Wrestling League, whose inaugural edition kicked off today (10 December) in New Delhi’s KD Jadhav stadium, pits six city-based franchises against one another in one of the richest freestyle wrestling tournaments in the world. Kohli’s Bengaluru Yodhas will face Rohit Sharma’s UP Warriors in their opening fixture on, where the world will see the two cricketers as owners and in different dug outs.

     

    Kohli said that when he was asked to consider the idea of co-owning the Bengaluru Yodhas , he was delighted to step into the mat and jump at the opportunity. “I was thrilled on hearing about the Pro Wrestling League and JSW Bengaluru Yodhas. I am no stranger to the city of Bangalore and it is wonderful that I can extend my association by way of the Yodhas,” he said. 

     

    The Pro Wrestling League believes Kohli will give the sport the kind of fillip it requires. With words of encouragement for his new team, the Test Captain was quick to show his faith in the team, said,  “I am confident that the Yodhas will be a vital cog in the scheme of things. I am excited and cannot wait to follow all the action on the mat.”

     

    JSW Sports director Parth Jindal said that Kohli’s association with Bengaluru Yodhas was exactly the kind of impetus that the sport needed. “Virat is currently one of the biggest names in Indian sport and one of Bengaluru’s favourite athletes. We are delighted to welcome him on-board as a co-owner of the Yodhas. Virat’s intensity and passion for sport has always been his hallmark and I am sure the same determination will be transferred to the Yodhas as we look forward to a successful first season in the Pro Wrestling League,” he said.

     

    The Bengaluru Yodhas are captained by 74 kg wrestler Narsingh Yadav, India’s sole medallist at the 2015 World Wrestling Championship. Giving Narsingh company are Sandeep Tomar, Bajrang Punia, Ukraine’s Pavlo Oliiynik and Georgia’s Davit Modzmanashvili in the men’s section. Five-time World Championship medallist Yuliya Ratkevich of Azerbaijan is the Yodhas’ star in the women’s draw. She is joined by USA’s Alyssa Lampe, India’s Lalita Sehrawat and Navjot Kaur.

  • Gareth Bale backs Virat Kohli’s social network startup Sport Convo

    Gareth Bale backs Virat Kohli’s social network startup Sport Convo

    MUMBAI: Virat Kohli smartly took the social media route to announce that Real Madrid star Walesman Gerath Bale has joined him to back the social network startup Sport Convo.

     

    Kohli tweeted, “I’ve just had an interesting convo.” This led to a flurry of messages from fans asking what was he talking about. And speculation was rife as to whom he had spoken to.

     

    After the buzz touched new heights, Kohli revealed to his fans (known as Viratians) the interesting conversation he had was in relation to someone special joining him in backing his business venture Sport Convo. He however did not reveal the name. Instead, he gave his fans a clue and interestingly attached a picture of a heart.

     

    Speculations were drawn that Anushka Sharma or the likes of Sachin Tendulkar might have joined him to back the social network startup Sport Convo. Then the Delhite started giving clues for his fans to guess. Clues were only accessible to fans who were signed into the platform. This initiative got many people to sign  

     

    After signing one could hear a voice saying, “Namaste it’s a pleasure to be backing Sport Convo. Looking forward to having a convo with you all soon,” in a foreign accent.

     

    That put an end to speculations surrounding Sharma and Tendulkar. AB Devilliers, Kevin Pieterson, Roger Federer, Cristiano Ronaldo were all among the names that were being thrown around on social media.

     

    One didn’t need to wait long for Kohli to reveal who it was. And to most fans it came as a real surprise. In fact, it was Real Madrid star Bale. It all makes sense now as his famous celebration is the heart.

     

    “Quite an interesting story really, I have been a fan of cricket for ages and started following Virat Kohli, we got talking over social and he mentioned this idea called Sport Convo that he was starting, he sent me more detail on it and I instantly really liked it,” said Bale.

     

    “Sport Convo was particularly attractive to me as my belief is sport benefits greatly from social media.It provides fans with the opportunity to showcase their opinions and passion for the game. Also allowing me to communicate with my fans quickly and efficiently, which is important as a professional cricketer I am always on the go. Sport Convo stood out for me and delivers all of this and beyond and that’s why I opted to back this business venture,” said Kohli.

     

    He further added, “As you may know I’m a Real Madrid fan and it’s good to be working with Gareth Bale now on Sport Convo. There is a lot of mutual respect between us and I’m glad to have him onboard.”

     

    Sport Convo CEO and co-founder Vishal Patel said, “Everyone involved in the business are sports fans. We have built and will continue to build a platform where sports fans can consume sport content and interact with content and fellow fans in a highly unique way. And we hope to become a place where all sports fans come to consume all things sport. We as a startup are extremely lucky to have two amazing backers. I can reveal at this stage we are now also in discussions with other personalities, both within the sport and in other industries… so watch this space.”

     

    On Facebook, Kohli put up a competition for two lucky winners to win an autographed cap from both Bale and himself. The winner will be announced within the Sport Convo platform on 29 December, 2015.

  • Backed by three sponsors PWL can rake in over Rs 25 crore in debut year

    Backed by three sponsors PWL can rake in over Rs 25 crore in debut year

    MUMBAI: Kartikeya Sharma and Vishal Gurnani’s joint venture Pro-Sportify’s decision to foray into wrestling is off to a flying start. The league has roped in Dabur Chyawanprash as the title sponsor while cola giant Thums Up has joined in as powered by sponsor. Jaguar Lighting has also been roped in as co-sponsor. 

    Gurnani and Sharma are both buoyed by the preparation. “We are all set for Pro Wrestling League season 1, we kick off today at seven and its certain that the sport will emerge as a clear number two after cricket in India” said the duo.

    The telecast rights of the league is with Multi Screen Media (MSM) and the network is planning to dish out the tourney in three different channels. Sony Six will relay the English feed while Sony Pal and Sony Max will broadcast the Hindi commentary.

    The network in association with DDB Mudra has unveiled an intriguing campaign to garner high number of eyeballs. “We are extremely happy with the marketing campaign that they have done. Over 600,000 television minutes spread across numerous channel with separate creatives for man and woman. It cannot get any better” said the duo.  
        
          
    A senior media planner on condition of anonymity said, “Wrestling as a sport in popular in India, it’s just it has never been packaged properly. They are putting in some serious money and the network is also promoting it aggressively too. Moreover the league will be aired on Sony Pal which is an FTA available on Sony Pal so with BARC Rural data in now I won’t be surprised if they emerge as the number two after cricket. Overall in my opinion the first year will create the buzz, but the packaging and follow ups will decide the long term fate.”

    If sources are to be believed then the league has already raked in close to Rs 20 crore as sponsorship revenue and have a few deals are still at the last stage. “I think season one will generate close to Rs 25 crore. Which will be shared among Sony and Pro-Sportify. The broadcasting rights were given to MSM for a little more than 100 crore” said a source.          

    The league kick-starts today (10 December 2015) and will conclude on 27 December 2015. The matches are slotted at a prime time slot of 7 Pm. 

  • Reliance Foundation expects enhanced reach with jr. NBA program

    Reliance Foundation expects enhanced reach with jr. NBA program

    MUMBAI: Reliance Foundation and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today (9 December 2015) that it expects to engage more than 1.5 million boys and girls and 2,700 physical education instructors and coaches in 2015-16 edition of the comprehensive youth basketball initiative.

     

     Returning for the third consecutive year, the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program will nearly double its number of participating cities, expanding from eight to 14.  The program will take place in Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Chennai, Delhi, Kochi, Kottayam, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Lucknow and Hyderabad. The program started in September 2015 and will run until March 2016.  

     

    “We are delighted that the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program is expanding to more cities and reaching more children. This program has used the sport of basketball to greatly impact the lives of Indian children.  We are grateful to the NBA for sharing their world-class expertise and resources, and to the schools, coaches and physical education instructors who continue to support this initiative” said Reliance Foundation head Jagannata Kumar.

     

    NBA India VP and managing director Yannick Colaco added, “The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program continues our goal of providing Indian youth with a platform to stay active and learn the values of basketball, including leadership, teamwork, and healthy living. On the heels of Sim Bhullar becoming the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA and Satnam Singh becoming the first Indian-born player to be drafted into the NBA, children in India are as excited as ever about trying the game, and the growth of our program will ensure we get basketballs in the hands of even more boys and girls across the country.”

     

    The program, which remains free for participants, will include a train the trainer initiative for local coaches, in-school basketball clinics, elite training camps and finals in each city featuring 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 competitions.  NBA International Basketball Operations staff will be based in each of the cities for three months to oversee the program.  Each participating school will receive essential equipment to encourage and facilitate participation among its students, including an India-specific coaching guide with curricula for in-school and after-school programs, basketballs, cones, and a Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA poster.  In addition, each participating city will host three youth oriented basketball festivals featuring mini hoops for kids aged 6-10.

     

    More than 1 million youth in over 1,000 schools across nine cities have participated in the program since its launch in 2013.  In addition, more than 15,000 basketballs and 300 basketball rims have been distributed and installed through the program, and NBA International Basketball Operations staff has trained more than 2,000 physical education teachers across the country.

     

    NBA Legends Bruce Bowen and Muggsy Bogues, WNBA All-Stars Tamika Catchings and Swin Cash, and Sim Bhullar, the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA, have all travelled to India to support and participate in the program.

     

    Prospective participants, including children, parents, coaches and schools, can visit rf.jrnba.com for program information, including training resources and tips on staying fit.

  • ESPN offers expanded role to Ramesh Kumar and Sambit Bal for India operations

    ESPN offers expanded role to Ramesh Kumar and Sambit Bal for India operations

    MUMBAI: As ESPN expands its presence in India through the recently announced collaboration with Sony for co-branded Sony ESPN channels and digital media, Ramesh Kumar and Sambit Bal are taking on expanded roles in the ESPN’s business in India and beyond.

     

    Kumar will take on the new role of Vice President, Head of ESPN India and South Asia.  In his new role Kumar will oversee all day-to-day operation of ESPN’s multimedia future in India and help drive the strategic growth of ESPN in India and the subcontinent.  That includes oversight of ESPN’s leading digital properties including ESPNcricinfo, ESPN FC and the forthcoming local edition of multisport ESPN site and app in India. He will report to ESPN international executive vice president Russell Wolff. He will continue to be part of ESPN’s regional Asia Pacific leadership team.

     

    “Ramesh has been a strong business leader who understands the richness and complexity of India and the competitive marketplace and product dynamics across the subcontinent, Under Ramesh’s leadership, our business in India has continued to evolve and grow, serving Indian fans in new ways, while also becoming an important part of ESPN’s business regionally and globally” said Wolff.

     

    Kumar, who joined ESPNcricinfo 15 years ago, has most recently been Head of ESPNcricinfo and ESPN India, overseeing the ESPNcricinfo. Kumar also played an important role in developing ESPN’s agreement with SONY. 

     

    Sambit Bal in his new broader role, will serve as Editor-in-Chief, ESPN India/South Asia. In the role, he will continue to be responsible for all ESPNcricinfo editorial content (written, video and audio). He will also overseeing all editorial content for the new India multisport ESPN.com site and app which is scheduled to launch by June 2016. Bal will take a leading role in growing ESPN’s global coverage of tennis.  He will report to both Kumar and Patrick Stiegman, Vice President and Editorial Director, Digital and Print Media.

     

    “Sambit’s strong editorial background, voice and journalistic distinction, combined with an acute eye for great talent and content, make him a perfect fit for this role, He has been instrumental in establishing ESPNcricinfo as the most trusted and comprehensive source for news, commentary and information around cricket, and will now be instrumental in delivering the same level of excellence to our coverage of multiple sports for fans in India and beyond” said Stiegman

     

    In October, ESPN and SONY Pictures Networks in India (previously Multi Screen Media) reached a long-term collaboration that will bring new offerings to Indian sports fans including new SONY ESPN sports channels and a new multisport website and app. This collaboration between two of the most respected brands in Indian media and sports will provide a powerful portfolio of sports rights and the leading collection of digital sports assets in India. 

  • IPL: Sanjeev Goenka’s New rising wins bid for Pune team, Intex wins Rajkot

    IPL: Sanjeev Goenka’s New rising wins bid for Pune team, Intex wins Rajkot

    MUMBAI: The speculations are finally over. The Indian Premier League (IPL) will be an eight team affair in 2016 as the Board Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) auctioned the two new franchises, Pune and Rajkot. Sanjeev Goenka’s New Rising won Pune franchisee while the Rajkot team is owned by the mobile phone manufacturer Intex.

     

    The two interim teams will not get a slice of BCCI’s franchise revenue instead Goenka’s will dish out Rs 16 crore, while Intex will pay Rs 10 crore to the board as they acquired the franchises for the respective amount in the reverse bidding process.  

     

    Pune and Rajkot will now have the option to choose from the top five players of CSK and RR. This will be decided during a players draft on 15 December 2015.

     

    After series of controversies, rounds of introspection, intervention by the Supreme Court of India, the BCCI decided to ban the N Srinivasan owned Chennai Super Kings and Raj Kundra’s Rajasthan Royals for two years.

     

    The decision posed a grave threat to the IPL fixture that would have otherwise been curtailed to an event with just six teams, and hence a lower number of matches. With the inclusion of the two new teams the tourney is back to eight teams. So the official broadcaster Multi Screen Media will have the same time span to monetise the cash rich league. 

     

    The rights acquisition cost were sold at $1 billion for a period of ten years to Multi Screen Media (MSM) which will conclude after 2017 edition.

  • Onefootball bags English Premier League digital streaming rights for India

    Onefootball bags English Premier League digital streaming rights for India

    MUMBAI: Football app Onefootball has bagged the digital streaming rights package within India for the English Premier League (EPL) covering the next three seasons – 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

     

    Additionally, sports radio station talkSPORT, which is the global audio partner of the Premier League, has also reached agreement with radio broadcasters and streaming companies in Ghana, Nigeria and Australia to carry talkSPORT’s live English Premier League audio commentary throughout the three football seasons.

     

    Citi FM in Ghana and Nigeria’s Nigeria Info are long-standing partners of talkSPORT who have each been awarded rights packages for a further three seasons.

     

    Eon Sports Radio is a new sports radio network, which plans to launch nationally in Australia in 2016 with a entertaining blend of original and licensed sports programming. As well as EPL audio rights, talkSPORT has also agreed to share other programming content with Eon Sports Radio, to include sports talk, interviews and features from talkSPORT’s award-winning UK output.

     

    As global audio partner of the Premier League, talkSPORT controls an exclusive package of international audio rights  until 2019, allowing the station to broadcast official live commentary of all 380 Barclays Premier League matches in any language to listeners around the world outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland.

     

    talkSPORT’s international tender process for the 2016-17 – 2018-19 seasons is continuing, with further licensing rounds scheduled in various key territories during December.

     

    talkSPORT director of international Jimmy Buckland said, “Today’s announcement is great news for football fans in India, Ghana, Nigeria and Australia. We’re delighted to be extending our relationships with some long-standing partners whilst welcoming a new partner in Australia. Eon Sports Radio has an ambitious plan to create Australia’s first new national sports radio network and talkSPORT looks forward to playing its part in the network’s upcoming launch.”

     

    UTV Media COO Scott Taunton added, “talkSPORT International has grown rapidly over the last three years, establishing a strong network of international broadcast and streaming partners. As global audio partner of the Premier League until 2019, talkSPORT is uniquely positioned to enable brands, broadcasters and streaming platforms tap into international audiences’ ever growing interest in the world’s most exciting football league.”

     

    talkSPORT is an official broadcaster of the Barclays Premier League, the 2016 UEFA European Football Championships, the FA Cup, England football internationals and the Capital One Cup.