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Category: Sports

  • Pro Kabaddi League season 2 garners 45% growth in viewership

    Pro Kabaddi League season 2 garners 45% growth in viewership

    MUMBAI: Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League season 2 witnessed a stunning opening with a 45 per cent viewership increase as compared to its inaugural season last year.

     

    The opening game on 18 July between defending champions Jaipur Pink Panthers and last year’s finalists U Mumba, rated 7.2 TVM (BARC panel CS4+), which is 45 per cent higher than the opening game of last season (TAM Panel CS4+).

     

    This kick-start to the second season validates that viewers have moved beyond the initial curiosity of season one to a deeper level of affinity and engagement with this aspirational Indian sport.

     

    The appeal of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League has cut across demographics with the core, urban, youth audiences passionately following the game while women and children continued to contribute about 50 per cent of viewership showing the universal appeal of the sport. The metro contribution was 64 per cent to overall television viewership demonstrating that the urban, millennialist audiences have a strong affinity for the sport. The League scored big on the digital front too. Hotstar, the online broadcaster of Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League, witnessed a massive interest from metros and large cities.

     

    Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, “We are overwhelmed and delighted to see the Indian fan’s rediscovery and passionate following of the uber-cool, Indian sport of Kabaddi. Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League has grown from strength to strength and while season 1 was about re-discovering the game, season 2 has seen a deepening of engagement and appreciation for the sport and its heroes. We would like to thank our partners International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), Mashal Sports and our sponsors for their tireless commitment towards realizing this great vision.”

     

    Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League has become one of the most talked-about events on social media. The opening day of the tournament saw #ProKabaddi trending across India, as fans from Jaipur and Mumbai resumed their rivalry in a replay of last year’s final. To date, the Star Sports Pro Kabaddi League season 2 has seen over 230,000 conversations on social platforms driving five billion potential impressions. This is approximately three times greater than last year.

     

    Additionally, Hotstar launched a series of unique content with shows like Jabaddi where Bollywood veteran Jaaved Jaaferi narrates and reacts to the most entertaining moments of the game on a weekly basis and Ultimate Panga hosted by Rannvijay Singha, who puts Kabaddi’s superheroes through a series of tasks to test their skill and strength.

     

    Hotstar also associated with VJ Jose to create Tickle Bomb, which are short and funny clips that builds the ‘Kabaddi is fun’ quotient.

  • Pro Kabaddi League season 2 witnesses improved ratings: TAM

    Pro Kabaddi League season 2 witnesses improved ratings: TAM

    MUMBAI: The first 14 matches substantiate Mashal Sports and Star India’s aspiration to make Pro Kabaddi League season 2 bigger and better.

     

    And the ratings sing a happy tune too. As per TAM Sports in CS4+ target group in All India market, while the average TVR after 14 matches in 2014 was 0.75 per cent, in 2015 the number went up to 1.23 per cent TVR.

     

    The average reach also bettered. The average reach after 14 matches in 2015 stood at 4.53 per cent as compared to 4.09 per cent in 2014.

     

    The average time spent also registered a magnificent incline as it went up to 19.36 minutes in the 2015 edition as compared to 14.56 minutes in 2014.

     

    This year in the second season of Pro Kabaddi League, Star India involved regional feeds, which is one of the major factors behind securing enhanced ratings.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com Madison Media Omega COO Dinesh Rathore says, “After cricket, at this stage when it comes to money making opportunities, Kabaddi is certainly making a mark. The sport looks like it’s here to stay though it’s little too early to predict the future.”

  • Paytm bags BCCI’s title sponsorship for four years

    Paytm bags BCCI’s title sponsorship for four years

    MUMBAI: Paytm has outbid Micromax to bag the title sponsorships of BCCI’s domestic and International matches for a period of four years. The winning bid was at a price of Rs 203.28 crore to be paid over the 4 years term.

     

    It may be recalled that Star India was the title sponsor for BCCI’s international and domestic matches till 31 March, 2014.

     

    BCCI Honorary Secretary Anurag Thakur said, “We are elated to have Paytm as our homes series title sponsors. They are one of the new generation companies and we are delighted to partner with them. Having them for next four years gives the stability and continuity to Indian cricket. With nearly 84 matches scheduled over the next 4 years with all major countries playing in India we are hopeful that Paytm will be able to build a strong and strategic association with Cricket. We are also happy that the realisation has increased by 20 per cent. It augurs well for Indian cricket. I am thankful to Paytm for their interest and faith in Indian Cricket and welcome them on board.”

     

    Paytm founder & CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma added, “Cricket is the dream sport for us in India. Cricket epitomises the Paytm values of passion, hard work and team effort. We are very happy to partner with the BCCI and cheer for Indian cricket with millions of fans. Over the next 4 years, we will continue to invest strongly in cricket and other sports. As a growing brand which has big plans for a billion strong Indians, there is no better platform than cricket in India.”

     

    The BCCI Marketing Committee met in Delhi today (30 July) to open the tender documents received by the Cricket Board for title sponsorship relating to its international and domestic home series/tournaments for the next four seasons. The period for which Invitation To Tender was sought for by the BCCI includes the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

     

    “The rights on offer include sponsor branding of the relevant series with the title sponsor logo, official designation as the ‘Title Sponsor’ of the relevant international or domestic series, visibility at the stadium during both international and domestic matches, broadcast sponsorship rights, and a host of other rights,” the Board had said in a media release earlier.

     

    The sponsorship deal has been sealed by media agency Maxus.

     

    Maxus South Asia managing director Kartik Sharma said, “We are extremely happy for partnering with Paytm, and helping them win the BCCI rights. Until now cricket has been dominated by other mature categories and this is the first time a e-commerce brand will be using the platform to connect and engage with its consumer base.” 

     

    GroupM ESP national director Vinit Karnik said, “We are happy to have stitched the entire deal for PayTM. The bidding process to representation was an exciting journey and we are extremely euphoric to be a part of this crucial and big sponsorship deal. It’s the beginning a new era. We have a young team India  and PayTM would leverage this associating being a young player in the e- commerce business ecosystem .From a business  point of view, it ushers a new wave of e-commerce companies  raising the bar several notches higher to build a young and robust tech India.”

     

    Maxus senior VP Shankar Nath  added, “We are delighted at becoming the Title Sponsor for all BCCI India cricket for the next 4 years. We firmly believe the partnership with cricket in India will help establish us even more as the dominant mobile commerce company in the country. As a growing brand which has big plans for a billion strong Indians there is no platform better than cricket in India.”

     

    Star India holds the broadcast, internet and mobile rights to Indian cricket until March 2018.

  • Discovery to acquire full control of Eurosport for €491 million from TF1

    Discovery to acquire full control of Eurosport for €491 million from TF1

    NEW DELHI: Discovery Communications, which had earlier acquired a controlling stake in sports broadcaster Eurosport France by increasing its share to 51 per cent, is now acquiring full ownership for €491 million from TF1 Group.

     

    The TF1 Group will exercise a put option on its 49 per cent ownership stake as part of the companies’ previous 2012 agreement.

     

    “Discovery Communications is excited to expand and deepen our investment in Eurosport as we continue to strengthen our newest global brand with locally relevant sports rights that create value for fans, advertisers and distributors,” said Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav.

     

    “In 2012, we began our investment with a 20 per cent stake in Eurosport and increased that investment to 51 per cent. Taking full control of Eurosport is the culmination of our commitment to strengthening Eurosport as a premier sports brand and fully integrating this business within Discovery’s unmatched global portfolio. I would like to thank TF1 for being great partners to us on this journey for the past few years,” he added.

     

    “We are delighted by the excellent relationship between Discovery and TF1 since we began our partnership in 2012. After an initial phase of creating value via acquisitions of equity stakes, which accelerated the development of Eurosport and the theme channels, we intend to continue our collaboration in the years ahead,” added TF1 chairman and CEO Nonce Paolini.

     

    The agreement also includes a provision for TF1 to buy back Discovery’s 20 per cent interest in TV Breizh, Histoire, and Ushua?a TV for €15 million. Both transactions are expected to close at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

     

    Since May 2014, Discovery and Eurosport have acquired more than 7,500 hours of coverage – with more than 3,300 of that live – per year across more than 50 properties signed. From UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Major League Soccer, expanding on Bundesliga soccer, Spanish cycling, Winter Ski Jumping, Wimbledon in Belgium, and FIFA Women’s World Cup across Europe, to Moto GP in Germany, Belgium and Netherlands, these new rights strengthen the Eurosport channels and bring the most compelling sporting events to local fans everywhere.

     

    In June, Discovery/Eurosport won the TV and multiplatform rights for the Olympic Games from 2018 to 2024, reinforcing Eurosport as the home of Olympic sports all year long. The agreement allows for more European sports fans to access the games on more platforms and screens than ever before. With almost half of Eurosport’s existing programming being Olympic sports, Discovery and Eurosport say they will now engage passionate fans around these key sports 365 days a year. Discovery and Eurosport will have access to the Olympic emblems and the rich Olympic video library and archive, which will further solidify Eurosport’s position as the pan-European home of Olympic sports.

  • Dentsu bags Olympic Games broadcast rights for 22 Asian countries

    Dentsu bags Olympic Games broadcast rights for 22 Asian countries

    MUMBAI: The International Olympic Committee has awarded Dentsu with the broadcast rights for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (2018); the Games of the XXXII Olympiad (2020); the XXIV Olympic Winter Games (2022); and the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (2024). 

     

    The agency will hold the broadcasting rights in 22 countries and territories across Asia namely Afghanistan, Brunei, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), East Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

     

    Dentsu has acquired exclusive Olympic Games broadcast rights on all media platforms, including television, radio and the Internet.

     

    These broadcast rights are in addition to those that Dentsu was awarded in 2013 for the XXII Olympic Winter Games (2014) in Sochi, Russia and the Games of the XXXI Olympiad (2016) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the above-mentioned 22 countries and territories.

    The broadcast rights for all the Youth Olympic Games to be held until 2024 have also been awarded to the company.

     

    While the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (2018) will be in PyeongChang, the Games of the XXXII Olympiad (2020) will be held in Tokyo. The locations of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games (2022) and the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (2024) are yet to be decided.

  • Sports management firm IOS signs up Suresh Raina for 3 years

    Sports management firm IOS signs up Suresh Raina for 3 years

    MUMBAI: Sports management group IOS Sports & Entertainment has signed Indian cricketer Suresh Raina for a period of three years.

     

    Raina is the first cricketer that IOS has signed. As a part of this long-term association, IOS will manage Raina’s endorsements and brand associations, corporate profile, patents and digital rights, images, visibility on social networking sites and merchandise.

     

    IOS Sports & Entertainment MD and CEO Neerav Tomar said, “I am really excited about signing the deal with country’s premier cricketer Suresh Raina. We were in touch with each other for a longtime and finally we have signed the deal. I am sure we will have a great partnership working together. Raina has been very consistent in all formats of the game and has the flexibility to adapt and play as the situation demands. Importantly from a sponsorship point of view Raina has all the credentials, is articulate, has the ability and is not over exposed.”

     

    “We at IOS believe that Raina has all-round credentials that make him a valuable asset, given his excellent fielding skills. We already have our plans in place for managing Suresh Raina. Initially we will be doing his brand imagery. Also, we will be looking at brands that suits his image and fits his profile,” he added.

     

    Raina said, “I was in touch with Neerav since the past few months and we had several rounds of dialogs. I have been observing his company doing very interesting work for Olympic sportspersons. I believe IOS had all the requisite credentials I needed. More importantly, they have a passionate and dedicated team who understand the space and offers the comfort that a sportsperson needs.”

  • Mumbai City FC signs Tunisia’s Selim Benachour for ISL season 2

    Mumbai City FC signs Tunisia’s Selim Benachour for ISL season 2

    MUMBAI: In an effort to further strengthen the team, Mumbai City FC has signed Tunisia’s Selim Benachour for the Indian Super League (ISL) season 2. Benachour’s style of play and work ethics align with the team.

     

    Benachour, a Tunisian footballer, started his career with Paris Saint-Germain in 2001, as an attacking midfielder and stayed until 2005. In 2009, he moved to the Spanish La Liga side Málaga. Post his stint with Malaga, Benachour signed a two-year contract with the Cypriot club APOEL. He helped APOEL win the, 2012–13 Cypriot First Division.

     

    During the 2013–14 season, he appeared in two UEFA Europa League group stage matches for APOEL and won the Cypriot League, the Cypriot Cup and the Cypriot Super Cup. He was widely considered as one of Tunisia’s best players, an elegant play maker with range of passing and great vision while playing for Tunisia’s national squad in the 2002 World Cup. His technical ability and wealth of experience will be fruitful for Mumbai City FC in ISL season 2.

     

    Benachour said, “I am extremely happy to join forces with my former teammate, Nicolas Anelka. I am also very excited to be a part of Mumbai City FC in the ISL and all that this league has to offer. I heard a lot about the ISL and Mumbai City FC last year, and I cannot wait to start training with my new teammates.”

     

    In ISL 2015, Mumbai City FC, coached by marquee manager and player Anelka, start their campaign against FC Pune City on 5 October.

  • iTV Network MD Kartikeya Sharma invests in Pro Wrestling League

    iTV Network MD Kartikeya Sharma invests in Pro Wrestling League

    MUMBAI: With India becoming home to not just cricket, when it comes to sports, iTV Network managing director Kartikeya Sharma is all set to invest in a wrestling league. 

     

    With an aim to give the game a fillip, Sharma has formed Pro Sportify, which will first start with Pro Wrestling League and later expand into the business of sports leagues, not just in India, but globally.

     

    Sporty Solutionz promoter Ashish Chadha will also be a stakeholder in the league.  

     

    According to Sharma, Pro Sportify will usher in a new era for the business of sports in India. “Our philosophy as a company reflects in our name – ‘Pro Sportify.’ Our approach to uplift and transform the sports will be thoroughly professional, but there will be no compromises with the basics and essence of the sports. We will also keep the culture and heritage of the sport intact. This philosophy will also reflect in our first venture Pro Wrestling League, which in spite of all commercial exploitations shall remain the real deal for sportsmen,” said Sharma.

     

    “I thank Kartikeya from the core of my heart for his whole-hearted support for the cause of sports in India. Professionalism in any industry does not mean minting money. It’s about creating more opportunities for each constituent of that particular industry and that is what we are going to do in Pro Sportify. Betterment of sportspersons, more opportunities and positive gains to our associates and more excitement, fun and sporting innovations for the fans will be a continuous process in Pro Sportify,” added Chadha.

  • Govt sets up All India Council of Sports to assist Sports Ministry

    Govt sets up All India Council of Sports to assist Sports Ministry

    NEW DELHI: An ‘All India Council of Sports’ has been set up by the Government to – among other things – popularise sports amongst the youth as a way of life and increasing outreach of sports to rural and tribal areas, areas affected by Left Wing Extremism, North East and Jammu & Kashmir.

     

    The council will be an advisory body for the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry but its advice will not be binding and obligatory. The council will organise national, international conferences, seminars, symposia etc, for promotion of sports and games in the country.

     

    The Council will be headed by a president in the rank of Minister of State and will include four Members of Parliament, sports personalities, coaches, sports experts, sports administrators, DG SAI, DG NADA, Vice Chancellor of LNIPE, officials from Sports Ministry, representatives from National Sports Federations, Indian Olympic Association, corporate bodies and NGOs. Appointments of the president and members of the Council other than ex-officio members shall be made by the Government.

     

    The Council will meet from time to time, at least once in a quarter, and deliberate on matters relating to the promotion and development of sports and games in the country. 

     

    Among other things, the Council will ensure implementation of policies for promotion of sports and games in the country; deal with matters relating to promotion of inclusiveness in sports with special focus on women, differently-abled, tribals etc; preventing drug abuse in sports, fraud of age and sexual harassment of women in sports; bringing professionalism, transparency and good governance in functioning of National Sports Federations; find ways and means to raise resources for the promotion of sports and games in the country; promotion of sports sciences and sports medicine; augment sports infrastructure and ensuring its proper utilization; deal with matters relating to participation and performance of sportspersons and teams in international sporting events and issues arising out of match fixing and other malpractices in competitive sports; find  ways and means to promote indigenous games in the country; early identification of sports talent and nurturing of the identified talent; integration of sports in educational curriculum in schools, colleges and universities; and suggest welfare measures for sportspersons. 

  • Mumbai City FC retains Andre Moritz for ISL season 2

    Mumbai City FC retains Andre Moritz for ISL season 2

    MUMBAI: Mumbai City FC has signed the attacking midfielder Andre Moritz for the second season of Indian Super League (ISL). Moritz was arguably the best foreign recruit of Mumbai City FC last season with three goals and a couple of assists in the seven matches he played.

     

    In ISL season 1, the 28-year-old Moritz was incredibly influential in the seven matches that he played for Mumbai, including the master class against FC Pune City, where his hat-trick led them to thrash their neighbours 5-0. He is a natural leader, good communicator and a bubbly character within the dressing room.

     

    Moritz played in the second tier English Championship for Bolton Wanderers and also has the experience of playing in the Turkish and Brazilian leagues. For Bolton, Moritz made 27 appearances, scored seven goals and provided three assists. Before joining Mumbai City FC, Moritz had represented the likes of Internacional, Fluminense and Crystal Palace. He had represented Pohang 11 times, as they finished 4th in the K-League regular season and has qualified for the Championship round which is to be played later this year. 

     

    Mumbai City FC owner Ranbir Kapoor said, “Andre Mortiz was one of the most effective players for us last season. His presence on the field made a clear difference and we are sure that he will have an even bigger impact this season. We are thrilled to have Andre back for Mumbai City FC.”

     

    Moritz added, “I’m overjoyed and thrilled to be back. The fans supported us till the very end last season and this year we want to give them enough occasions to cheer about. The team has a lot to prove this season and I am excited that I’m a part of Mumbai City FC again to ensure that it happens.”

     

    Moritz will be a part of the Nicolas Anelka coached side including India National team captain Sunil Chhetri, starting their campaign against FC Pune City on 5 October, 2015.