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Category: Sports

  • Steven Smith finishes the Ashes as number-one ranked batsman

    Steven Smith finishes the Ashes as number-one ranked batsman

    MUMBAI: Steven Smith has reclaimed the top spot in the latest ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen which were released following the conclusion of The Oval and P.Sara Oval Tests.

    The incoming Australia captain started the Ashes series at the top of the rankings on 913 points, but had lost his place to England’s Joe Root after the Trent Bridge Test. However, after scoring 143 in his side’s an innings and 46 runs victory at the The Oval, the 26-year-old has overtaken second-placed AB de Villiers, as well as Root, who has dropped to third following scores of six and 11. 

    Root had started the series in seventh place on 815 points and has gained 74 points and four places over the course of the series.

    There was further good news for David Warner who has moved up two places to ninth after scoring 85, while Chris Rogers concluded his career in 10th place (after climbing 13 places since the start of the series) as the second-highest left-handed batsmen in the rankings behind another illustrious retiree Kumar Sangakkara, who finished his career in seventh spot. 

    Sangakkara, who scored 32 and 18 in Sri Lanka’s 278 runs defeat at the P.Sara Oval, first reached number-one in the Test batting rankings in December 2007 against England after innings of 92 and 152 in Kandy.

    Sangakkara spent a total of 97 Tests and 812 days as the top-ranked Test batsman in the world and was last number-one in December 2014, before losing the top spot to de Villiers. His highest-ever points tally was 938, achieved on 1 December 2007, and that total is the highest-ever achieved by a Sri Lanka batsman to date and the joint sixth-highest of all-time.

    Meanwhile, Michael Clarke has finished his 115-Test career in 25th spot. Clarke surged to the top of the rankings in August 2009 and did so for the last time in February 2013. During this period, he topped the batting rankings on several occasions (totaling 11 Tests and 70 days).

    Clarke is one of the 30 internationals, including eight Australia batmen, to reach 900 points, which was incidentally his highest points tally that was achieved after the 2012 Boxing Day Test against Sri Lanka.

    As an Australia captain, the 34-year-old from Sydney led his team to the top of the ICC Test Team Rankings from May 2011 to July 2014.

    The other big movers in the latest batting rankings are India’s Ajinkya Rahane (up two places to a career-high 20th), Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne (up two to 34th) and England’s Moeen Ali (up two to a career-high 48th), while there were also notable career-high gains for Adam Voges (up 21 to 53rd), and India team-mates Lokesh Rahul (up 30 places to 87th) and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (up 15 places to 100th).

     

    In the ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, Australia’s Mitchell Johnson has climbed two places to sixth after recording match figures of four for 86 runs in London, while Ravichandran Ashwin’s match tally of seven for 118 in Colombo has helped the off-spinner overtake Rangana Herath into eighth place on 769 points, one point behind South Africa’s Vernon Philander. 

    Arising from the conclusion of the fifth Ashes Test, there were gains for Peter Siddle (up three places to 14th) and Nathan Lyon (up two to 16th), while the highest England movers again were Moeen (up four places to 30th) and Ben Stokes (up one place to a career-high 41st). Mitchell Marsh has rocketed 36 places to a career-high 71st place.

    Meanwhile, there were career-high gains for Sri Lanka duo of Dhammika Prasad, whose six for 125 runs in Colombo has helped him move up four places to 25th, while his team-mate Tharindu Kaushal has moved up one place to 59th.

    The biggest mover in the bowling rankings, though, was India leg-spinner Amit Mishra whose match haul of seven for 72 has helped him move up 42 places to a career-high 39th. 

    Ashwin has also gained ground on Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan in the ICC Player Rankings for Test All-rounders and has reduced the deficit on the leader to 43 points.

    The deciding third and final Test between Sri Lanka and India starts at Colombo on Friday. If India wins the series 2-1, it will overtake New Zealand and move into fifth place. However, a Sri Lanka series victory would see it progress to 96 points and overtake India into sixth place. In the event of a 1-1 tied series, Virat Kohli’s side would remain in sixth place, four points clear of Mathews’ men.

     

    Click here for ICC Test player rankings

  • Five reasons why Pro Kabaddi League is a hit and not a hype

    Five reasons why Pro Kabaddi League is a hit and not a hype

    MUMBAI: When the first edition Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) garnered enormous fan following, many a naysayers pooh-poohed it as a one-time wonder. Media pundits even predicted an out of mind – out of sight situation. However, PKL’s second season has certainly managed to zip the lips of the killjoys and their critical analysis.

     

    While Ronnie Screwvala’s UMumba won against hard fought Bengaluru Bulls to win the tourney, the larger victory was of the format as PKL season 2 saw constant acceleration in each and every rating parameter. In the first edition of the tournament, there were no brands involved. However, the second edition saw multiple brands associating with the game, which only goes on to prove that the league was not only acknowledged by sport enthusiasts but also saw commercial interest peaking.

     

    Based on an interaction with various people involved in the execution of PKL, Indiantelvision.com lists five broad reasons as to why PKL is a hit format and not just buoyed temporarily by hype.

     

    Star India and its 360 degree packaging

     

    Broadcaster and owning partner of the league Star India left no stone unturned to make it an extraordinary exhibition. From special point of view commentators to multilingual feed, from quality pre and post match programming to timely highlights, Star was right up to the mark on every aspect. “You cannot ask for anything more when it comes to TV presentation, Star has covered it all,” says Mashal Sports director Charu Sharma.

     

    Not just TV, thanks to Star’s OTT platform Hotstar, the league matches were easily available for streaming on mobile platforms too. Star created Kabaddi based original content featuring Ranvijay Singha in Le Panga and Javed Jafri in Jabaddi to keep the buzz going on digital platforms.

     

    To the point Marketing

     

    All marketing and promotional steps that were taken before and during the league had a clear purpose and concise message. Kabaddi is a native sport played all across the country by a certain group of people and it was very important to connect to them. PKL’s TVCs that were launched this year had mass connect and social impact. The journey began with Le Panga where a young boy litters in the middle of the road. Seeing that, a few senior citizens approach him in a deadly way chanting ‘Kabaddi Kabaddi.’ The young boy picks the trash up and gently throws it into the dustbin.

     

    This year’s campaign actually kick-started with Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan singing PKL season 2’s anthem Le Panga. The social and emotional connect was kept intact even during the matches as every match started with the National Anthem. Indians follow their heroes and like to talk about them and Star made full use of that very philosophy. Every city saw an icon singing the national anthem, Bachchan in Mumbai, Sourav Ganguly in Kolkata, Sunidhi Chauhan, Allu Arjun in South India and Alia Bhatt in the finals. The organisers also teamed up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s hygiene campaign ‘Swachh Bharat’ to give it a boost and enhance social connect.

     

    Strong Revenue Generation

     

    While the broadcaster did not have any brands on board in the first edition of the tournament, this time round as many as eight associate sponsors and two partners were on board. The broadcaster is said to have made more than Rs 55 crore from season 2. “From 0 to Rs 55 crore is a big jump forward. If the format will stay or not, is now out of question. The question now is on how big will it grow. If the fundamentals are not struck by an unwanted force, I see the sport creating history in the near future,” says an expert on condition of anonymity.

     

    At this stage the league looks to be a profitable proposition not just for the broadcaster but for the franchises too. If sources are to be believed, UMumba has already broken even in terms of revenue generation. 

     

    Even Bengaluru Bulls is close to breaking even. Bengaluru Bulls promoting company Kosmik Global CEO Uday Sinh Wala says, “We are close to breaking even. We would have drawn level this year if only we had not refused to sell cheap. There are not many leagues in the world where you can think of drawing level at the end of the second season.”

     

    UMumba generated maximum revenue from sponsorships followed by Bangaluru Bulls who charged Rs 1.5 crore for the title sponsor’s slot. Franchises are looking towards a 15 per cent increase in their revenue generation next season, which will definitely get them closer to level.

     

    Twice a year proposition

     

    With more and more sporting actions springing up month on month, the one year wait might turn out to be a tad too much. Hence Star India has now decided to hold the league twice a year. “While the wait is good, too much action is bad. However, too much wait may lead to out of mind – out of sight situation, which is dangerous. Why take the dangerous route? The twice a year proposition looks promising as the sport will have way more exposure. I believe the interest level will go up, and people will enjoy the tournament with same enthusiasm twice a year,” says Sinh Wala, welcoming the move.

     

    Close association between Federation and League owners

     

    Star India and Mashal Sports work very closely with International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) and Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) to ensure smooth processing. A conflict between the two can often take the flair out of the game but for PKL, it’s not an issue. Moreover, there isn’t a situation where players are not available to play or are restricted by the authorities.

     

    According to Sharma, PKL’s biggest success lies in the success of the honest and humble Kabaddi players. “The players are now known to everybody in the entire country. They have an identity. They always made India proud, yet no one ever tried to know them. We are number one in Kabaddi and still no one bothered to talk about it. Now the entire world wants to take part in this event and that’s the outcome of PKL,” he adds.

     

  • U Mumba lifts PKL 2 trophy; Star India’s estimated earnings pegged at Rs 55 cr

    U Mumba lifts PKL 2 trophy; Star India’s estimated earnings pegged at Rs 55 cr

    MUMBAI: With Ronnie Scewvala’s U Mumba lifting the Pro Kabaddi League season 2 trophy, the second edition of the sport has come to an end. U Mumba won the final against Bengaluru Bulls with six points, after a nail biting match. While the winning team is celebrating, the other happy party is its official broadcaster Star India, which seems to have made moolah aplenty from the property. 

     

    Sources close to the development gave Indiantelevision.com an assessment that the broadcaster succeeded to generate revenue to the tune of Rs 55 crore.    

     

    While the native sport always had an enormous fan following in the country, what it lacked was proper packaging. When packaged in an alluring manner, the sport garnered a cumulative reach of 435 million in its debut season. In terms of viewership too, the sport managed to surprise many as it garnered annual viewership of 128 GVTs.  

     

    This year, the ratings have propelled and after 49 matches, the tourney garnered 1.25 TVRs compared to 0.81 TVRs of 2014. The average reach has also inclined from 3.74 per cent to 4.43 per cent. The time spent has gone up in the 2015 edition to 20.41 minutes compared to 16.88 minutes as per TAM Sports analysis. 

     

    While Star retained the title sponsorship with Star Sports, the broadcaster successfully roped in eight associate sponsors on board viz. TVS, VIP Frenzie, Bajaj Electricals, Thums Up, State Bank Of India, Flipkart, Government of India Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Mahindra Jeeto. On the other hand, while Radio Mirchi associated with Pro Kabaddi as radio partners, Britannia became the referee partner.

     

  • ESPN to exclusively telecast America Cup in North & South America

    ESPN to exclusively telecast America Cup in North & South America

    NEW DELHI: ESPN has acquired exclusive multiplatform rights to the 35th America’s Cup in more than 40 territories, including Mexico, Central America and South America.
     

    Under the agreement with America Cup, it will have non-exclusive rights in the Caribbean.

     

    ESPN International will air live racing and highlights of all events in the 35th America’s Cup, including the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series in 2015 and 2016; the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Qualifiers and Challenger Playoffs; the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup; and the America’s Cup Match presented by Louis Vuitton from Bermuda in May and June 2017.

     

    America Cup Commercial Commissioner Harvey Schiller said, “We’re happy to be working with the ESPN team again to build on the strength of what we achieved together in the last America’s Cup. This agreement will bring America’s Cup racing to millions of fans in Mexico, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.”

     

    ESPN International senior vice president of production, programming, marketing and advertising sales Tim Bunnell added, “This is a wonderful opportunity for ESPN International to broadcast one of the marquee sailing events in world sport. Fans will be able to watch live and highlight programming of the America’s Cup on a variety of platforms, including television, broadband and mobile.”

     

    ESPN will air the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series in Gothenburg, Sweden on 29 and 30 August.

     

  • WWE takes over New York City with ‘SummerSlam’

    WWE takes over New York City with ‘SummerSlam’

    MUMBAI: For the first time since 2007, WWE’s SummerSlam returns to the NYC-Metro area with a week-long lineup of events including interactive fan experiences and community outreach programmes covering all five NYC boroughs. SummerSlam takes place this Sunday, August 23, live on WWE Network at 7 p.m. ET from a sold-out Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The events begin today and include:

     

    ·         Children’s Hospital Visits – Wednesday, August 19

    WWE Superstars and Tag Team Champions Titus O’Neil® and Darren Young® will be at the Brooklyn Medical Center Pediatric Wing and WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose® will be joined by WWE Diva Alicia Fox® at St. Mary’s Hospital for Children in Queens. On both occasions, they will visit with patients and hand out WWE Mattel toys.

     

    ·         Brooklyn Cyclones Celebrity Softball Game – Wednesday, August 19

    The Brooklyn Cyclones and WWE have partnered for SummerSlam Night.  As part of the night’s festivities, WWE Superstars and Divas including Ryback, Fandango, Eva Marie and Charlotte, will join members of the FDNY, NYPD and other celebrities in a pre-game Celebrity/Civil Servants All-Star Challenge and softball game prior to the 7 p.m. Cyclones game against the Lowell Spinners.  Also scheduled to participate in the celebrity game are NBA Hall of Famer and current St. John’s Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Mullin, Mets Hall of Famer John Franco, Greg Kelly & Rosanna Scotto – the hosts of Good Day New York – and many others. 

     

    ·         SummerSlam Reading Celebration – Thursday, August 20

    WWE and First Book will host a reading celebration at JCC Cornerstone Program at Todt Hill Community Center in Staten Island. WWE Superstar Dolph Ziggler and WWE Divas Nikki Bella and Brie Bella will read to local Staten Island students from grades 1-3 to promote the importance of literacy. A book donation will be made to all students in attendance.

     

    ·         Firehouse and Police Precinct Visits to Support “Answer the Call” – Thursday, August 20

    WWE is joining forces with Hollywood celebrities and professional athletes through a global online auction on Charitybuzz.com, featuring unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences in support of “Answer The Call,” the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund.  To help raise awareness for the program, WWE Superstars Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods, and WWE Diva Summer Rae will be visiting firehouses and police precincts around New York City.    

     

    ·         “Be a STAR” (Show Tolerance and Respect) Anti-Bullying Rally – Thursday, August 20

    WWE will host an anti-bullying rally at the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx, featuring Be A STAR alliance members, Facebook, GLAAD and DoSomething.org. WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, Facebook Trust and Safety Manager, Emily Vacher and GLAAD Vice President of Programs Zeke Stokes will join WWE Superstars Kofi Kingston and Sheamus, and WWE Diva Eva Marie to deliver bullying prevention messages to more than 250 children between the ages of 6-15.

     

    ·         Hire Heroes Veteran Employment Panel & Event – Friday, August 21

    WWE, in partnership with Barclays Center and Orion International will host a Veterans Career Panel and Networking Event in support of Hire Heroes USA (HHUSA) for nearly 80 veterans. Corporate HR and Brand Executives from WWE, ESPN, Marvel, Priceline, MTA, LinkedIn and Colgate will be in attendance to discuss veteran hiring practices. WWE Superstars The Usos, WWE Diva Naomi® and WWE NXT Superstars Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, will also be on-hand to speak with the veterans. The event will consist of a panel, networking opportunities and career coaching stations.

     

    ·         John Cena 500th Wish Celebration – Friday, August 21

    Make-A-Wish and WWE will celebrate WWE Superstar John Cena becoming the first celebrity in history to grant 500 wishes. The event, which is being hosted at Dave & Buster’s Times Square, will feature appearances by WWE Superstar John Cena, WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, Make-A-Wish America CEO David Williams, WWE Superstar Sheamus, WWE Divas The Bellas and Wish children and their families.

     

    ·         New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell – Friday, August 21

    In celebration of SummerSlam and WWE Superstar John Cena’s 500th Wish, Cena, WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and Make-A-Wish America CEO David Williams will accompany seven Wish kids, and ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange. For more than a decade, Cena has been granting the wishes of children through WWE’s partnership with Make-A-Wish which began more than 30 years ago. To date, WWE Superstars and Divas have granted more than 6,000 wishes, more than any other sports and entertainment organization. 

     

    ·         Superstar Meet and Greets – Friday, August 21 & Saturday, August 22

    These exclusive fan sessions will give the WWE Universe an opportunity to get autographs and photos with their favorite Superstars and Divas including WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins; Randy Orton®; Roman Reigns; Dean Ambrose; Bray Wyatt; WWE Divas Charlotte, Paige and Becky Lynch; WWE Legend Sting; and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels.

     

    ·         Susan G. Komen Community Health Fair – Saturday, August 22

    WWE and Susan G. Komen will be supporting a community health fair featuring Komen’s Scan Van, offering mobile mammograms and information on Race for the Cure. WWE Divas Tamina™, Alicia Fox™, Naomi™, and Natalya™ and WWE Superstars Titus O’Neil and Darren Young will take part in a meet and greet at the Church of the Revelation in the Bronx to promote breast health education and the importance of early detection.

     

    ·         NXT Takeover Brooklyn – Saturday, August 22

    On the night before the biggest event of the summer, WWE’s next generation of Superstars and Divas will perform at a sold-out Barclays Center with the biggest NXT Takeover yet. Finn Balor’s reign as NXT Champion hangs in the balance when he takes on Kevin Owens in a Ladder Match.  NXT Takeover Brooklyn can be seen live on WWE Network at 9 p.m. ET.

     

    ·         SummerSlam – Sunday, August 23
    A sold-out crowd will converge on Barclays Center for SummerSlam. WWE’s biggest event of the summer, which can be seen live on WWE Network at 7 p.m. ET, will feature WWE Superstars Undertaker® and Brock Lesnar® in a rematch of their historic WrestleMania 30 bout where Lesnar ended Undertaker’s 21-year undefeated streak.   

     

    ·         Monday Night Raw – Monday, August 24
    The night after SummerSlam, Monday Night Raw takes place at a sold-out Barclays Center for the third night in a row, where fans can see their favorite WWE Superstars and Divas.  MondayNight Raw is the longest-running, weekly episodic program in U.S. primetime TV history and is one of the most-watched, regularly scheduled programs on cable, airing live every Monday night on USA Network. 

  • BCCI felicitates retiring Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara

    BCCI felicitates retiring Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara

    MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Hon. Secretary Anurag Thakur, today felicitated Sri Lankan batting great Kumar Sangakkara in Colombo ahead of the second Test between Sri Lanka and India, which marks the farewell of the Sri Lankan legend.

     

    BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya, congratulated Sangakkara on a glorious career that spanned over 15 years. “Kumar Sangakkara has not only been a true asset for Sri Lankan cricket but also a great ambassador for the game of cricket. I congratulate him on all his achievements and wish him a happy and successful life post retirement,” said Dalmiya.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Thakur said, “Kumar Sangakkara is a true legend of the game. His conduct both on and off the field has been exemplary. He is one of the most consistent performers of our times and a role model for youngsters around the world. On behalf of the BCCI, I would like to wish him the very best for his future endeavours.”

  • AFL signs colossal $2.5 billion deal with Murdoch’s Seven & Foxtel

    AFL signs colossal $2.5 billion deal with Murdoch’s Seven & Foxtel

    MUMBAI: The AFL will reap a major financial windfall after striking a colossal new six-year broadcast rights agreement for $2.508 billion. The new deal will see Channel Seven, Foxtel and Telstra continue as the League’s broadcasters, which will run from 2017 to 2022.

     

    The current deal expires at the end of the 2016 season. The existing deal was effectively worth $250 million a year while the new deal is 67 per cent bigger at $418 million a year.

     

    AFL commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick and CEO Gillon McLachlan while announcing the deal were joined by News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes and Telstra CEO Andy Penn, among others. 

     

    Channel Seven will broadcast matches in HD free-to-air from the start of the new deal in 2017. The AFL will continue to retain full control of the fixture, including whether the grand final is scheduled as a day, twilight or night match. The AFL fixture will remain at 22 rounds, with nine games each weekend.

     

    Foxtel will continue to broadcast every game, except the AFL Grand Final, which will be aired live on Pay TV. Foxtel will have the right to sub-licence one game per round each weekend in the Saturday 3.20 pm AEST timeslot to a free-to-air provider, if it chooses. Meanwhile Telstra will once again hold the rights for hand-held devices, AFL.com.au and the club digital network. Telstra will broadcast every match on mobile devices.

     

    McLachlan said, “The historic deal delivered for clubs, players, supporters and the community. The deal would provide financial security for clubs and players to allow future growth and certainty. The deal would see resources directed towards the foundations of the game, while growing into new communities to create new generations of supporters, members, players and volunteers.”

     

    The existing deal was sealed for $1.25 billion in April 2011. AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said the new deal will help the League grow its reach over the next decade. “We need to continue to be the first choice for our elite and talented athletes, we need to strengthen our clubs at all levels, and we need to invest in the community level of our game. This agreement with News Corporation, the Seven Network and Telstra will allow us to make the right investment to keep our game strong,” he said.

     

    Murdoch added, “AFL was Australia’s premium football code. This is a very significant investment for us. We’ve always believed that this is the premium code in Australia – it’s the national game. We’re very happy to be doing this. We believe in the strength of the game and we’ll do everything we can to make it stronger.”

     

    Kerry Stokes revealed the broadcaster would search for ways to broadcast in HD before the next agreement kicks off. “It’s a matter under review. It’s been a technical issue for the network, as you’re aware, and we’re reviewing it again this summer with the hope that we can find a way of bringing high definition to Melbourne,” he said. provides for a separate dispensation in so far as commercial establishments are concerned and hence we hope that the regulator keeps the same in mind while formulating the new tariff regime.”

     

     

    BBC India COO Naveen Jhunjhunwala added, “We strongly advocate a distinction between ordinary and commercial subscribers as far as tariff is concerned since the place of viewing the TV signal and type of usage of TV signals is inherently different in both these categories. Having a global presence, we have seen that the regulators have left determination of tariffs to forbearance thereby ensuring dynamic competition.  With Government focus on making India an easier place to do business, leaving things to market forces will ensure growth and be in line with international scenario.” 

  • Premier League & Bundesliga: When & where can India tune in?

    Premier League & Bundesliga: When & where can India tune in?

    MUMBAI: As German Bundesliga is set to make its debut with the Bayern Munich VS Hamburger SV match, Star Sports is the final destination for football lovers in India.

     

    Munich fans can tune in to Star Sports 4 or HD 4 at 12 am early Saturday (15 August) to catch all the action live.

     

    Besides German football, English Premier League fans will also be burning the midnight oil as after their opening day success, Manchester United will take on Aston Villa. Star Sports 2 and HD 2 will telecast this match live from 12 am early Saturday morning.

     

    Borussia Dortmund will take on Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday and the live action will unfold at 9.46 pm on Star Sports 4 and HD 4.

     

    The biggest match of the weekend – Manchester City VS defending champion Chelsea will unfold on Sunday at 8.15 pm. Fans can catch all the action on Star Sports 1 and HD 1. Before the match between 2014-15 season table toppers Arsenal will play Crystal Palace, which will be aired on Star Sports 1 and HD 1 from 5.50 pm.

     

    Full Weekend Schedule:

     

    Saturday, 15 August

     

    Bayern Munich VS Hamburger SV at 12 am on Star Sports 4 and HD 4

     

    Manchester United VS Aston Villa at 12 am on Star Sports 2 and HD 2

     

    Southampton VS Everton at 5.05 pm on Star Sports 1 and HD 1

     

    Swansea City VS New Castle United at 7.20 pm on Star Sports 1 and HD 1

     

    Borussia Dortmund VS Borussia Monchengladbach at 9.46 pm on Star Sport 4 and HD 4

     

    Sunday, 16 August

     

    Crystal Palace VS Arsenal at 5.50 pm on Star Sports 1 and HD 1

     

    VfL Wolfsburg VS Eintracht Frankfurt at 6.46 pm on Star Sports 4 and HD4

     

    Manchester City VS Chelsea at 8.15 pm on Star Sports 1 and HD1

     

    VfB Stuttgart VS 1. FC Koln 8.46 pm on Star Sports 4 and HD4

     

    Monday, 17 August

     

    SV Werder Bremen VS FC Schalke 04 at 5 pm on Star Sports 4 and HD 4

     

    Tuesday, 18 August

     

    Liverpool VS AFC Bournemouth at 12.30 am on Star Sports 4 and HD 4

  • Pro Kabaddi League’s viewership registers significant incline

    Pro Kabaddi League’s viewership registers significant incline

    MUMBAI: The most talked about non-cricket sport in India, Kabaddi has been gaining more prominence. According to TAM Sports analysis, after 37 matches, Pro Kabaddi League’s (PKL) viewership has seen a significant incline.

    In terms of TVR, while the tournament in its debut season (2014) garnered 0.73 per cent after 37 matches, the number has gone up to 1.23 per cent in 2015.

    The incline was also observed in average reach analysis as the tourney has secured 4.39 per cent until now in 2015, while at the same stage in 2014, it managed a reach of 3.86 per cent.

    The time spend (TSV) has also gone up. While in 2015, the time spend per viewer registered so far is 20.02 minutes, in 2014 it was 16.33 minutes at the same stage.

    Last year the tournament was aired on Star Sports 1, 2, 3 & 4 and Star Gold, while this year Star India stretched the coverage to various regions with regional channel in order to enhance its reach. Maa TV, Plus Suvarna and Star Pravah were added to the list of channels showcasing PKL action.

  • Star Sports rides high on sponsorships for BWF Badminton World Championships

    Star Sports rides high on sponsorships for BWF Badminton World Championships

    MUMBAI: Star Sports has signed up high-profile brands as partners for the broadcast of the BWF Badminton World Championships, where India’s ace shuttlers are vying with other top players from around the globe for the title of World Champion.

    Bajaj Electricals is the presenting sponsor for the broadcast of the tournament, while Maruti and Ask Me are associate sponsors. Kellogg’s has signed on as the ‘solid start’ partner alongside weight-management company and nutritional products maker Herbalife, which is the nutrition partner for the broadcast of the tournament. Dr. Reddy’s Nise Gel has been signed as the pain-relief partner. The tournament, which kicked off on 10 August  in Jakarta will run until 16 August. All matches are being broadcast live on Star Sports.

    Bajaj Electricals joint managing director Anant Bajaj said, “The BWF World Championships is Badminton’s most prestigious tournament. It provides a brilliant platform for the continuously improving and promising Indian badminton squad to show their skills. Bajaj Electricals is proud to partner with Star Sports in this association and wish success and glory to Team India.”

    World no. 2 Saina Nehwal headlines a contingent of ‘Super Indians’ competing in the Championships, with the best of Indian talent like K. Srikanth, HS Prannoy and P.V. Sindhu,  who are among the top 20 badminton players in the world, also taking part.

    This tournament, as also the next twelve months, will be crucial for our badminton heroes as they gear up for the Rio Olympics next year.

    Herbalife International India vice president and country head Ajay Khanna added, “Herbalife is glad to be associated with Star Sports India for the telecast of the Badminton World Championship to Fuel Champions. Our endeavour is to strengthen awareness on the importance of nutrition in sports, which epitomize the healthy active lifestyle that we promote.We are glad to represent that through our competing athlete Saina Nehwal.”

    A Star Sports spokesperson said, “Badminton in India enjoys high participation rates, world-class training academies, and several star players, making the country a force to reckon with in the world of badminton. Star is proud to present the BWF World Championships which highlights our commitment to fostering a multi-sport culture in India. The support from brands like Bajaj Electricals, Kellogg’s, Nisegel, Herbalife, Maruti and AskMe only proves that our efforts to grow a multi-sport culture in India are paying off.”

    First held in 1985, the BWF World Championships were played every two years until 2005.  In 2006 the tournament became an annual fixture and is played every year except in the years when the Olympic Games are held. 

    BWF World Championships is the sport’s most prestigious tournament, along with the Olympics and confers the title of World Champion on the victor.