Category: Sports

Sporty Solutionz signs multi-year media rights deal with New Zealand Cricket

MUMBAI: Sporty Solutionz has signed a multi-year media rights deal with New Zealand Cricket. The deal enables Sporty Solutionz to sub-license New Zealand Cricket rights until 2016 and 2017 in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other parts of the sub-continent outside India. This will involve all cricket hosted by New Zealand Cricket during the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.

During the period of the contract, New Zealand Cricket will play host to eight international series, including three visits from Pakistan, two from Sri Lanka, and a visit each from Bangladesh, Australia and the West Indies.

Sporty Solutionz’s chief executive officer Ashish Chadha rates the new relationship as extremely valuable. “We are proud to be associated with New Zealand Cricket,” said Chadha and added, “We are confident of broadcasting the action to previously unexplored territories to ensure the best reach for cricket played in New Zealand.”

“Of the eight series NZC will host during the period of our contract, six will involve teams from the sub-continent: Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – all of which play exciting cricket. On average, one of these teams will be playing every six months in New Zealand over the next three years – and I’m sure cricket lovers in the sub-continent are going to witness some exciting encounters,” he highlighted.

NZC chief executive officer David White welcomed the agreement and said he was looking forward to working with Sporty Solutionz over the term of the contract period.

“The next three seasons are shaping up as an exciting time for New Zealand Cricket and the Blackcaps, and we’re delighted to have Sporty Solutionz as a media rights partner,” said White.

“At a time when the Blackcaps are making excellent progress as an international team, this new partnership will ensure their exposure to an ever-increasing media audience,” added White.

January 12, 2015
Will test retirement impact ‘Brand Dhoni’?

MUMBAI: Mahindra Singh Dhoni’s achievements suddenly seem to be a thing of the past. What immediately comes to mind is Dhoni’s stupendous victory as hugely popular ‘Captain Cool’ of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Dhoni recently announced his impending retirement from the test cricket format, to supposedly concentrate better on ODI and T20 formats. Close on the heels of this news, came the announcement that Dhoni had been declared the team’s captain of the Indian squad, at the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

His on-field, cool ‘dude’ charms and his exciting and varied hairstyles, have hitherto made him quite the favourite with various Indian brands. Not surprisingly, late last year, he was the only Indian sports person to figure on Forbes list of the world’s most valuable athlete brands. Ranked at the fifth position, with a mammoth brand value of $20 million, he was darting ahead of sprinter Usain Bolt and even edged football giants like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who were placed at the sixth, seventh and ninth position, respectively. But will the recent announcement grossly affect his brand value or his new signings? Only time will tell…

Celebrity and sports management firm, CAA KWAN’s COO, Indranil Das Blah, feels his retirement from test cricket will definitely impact his erstwhile huge brand value. “Being the captain of the Indian test cricket team, he is pretty much the statesman of Indian cricket, but now brands will see him retiring slowly as he winds down his career.” When questioned if his performance at the ICC World Cup 2015 could impact his brand value, he goes on to say, “If the team manages to do well and even win, Dhoni’s brand value could be bigger than ever before. Therefore, if the team is not successful, the captain’s brand value will simultaneously diminish rapidly. So, all rests on the World Cup.”

The cricketer currently endorses close to 20 different brands in categories ranging from FMCG, telecom to real estate. He also co-owns the Chennaiyin FC team of the Hero Indian Super League, a fitness chain called SportsFit and the Ranchi team for the Hockey India League, along with Sahara India Pariwar. He is the face and his wife Sakshi Singh Rawat, holds a 25 per cent stake in Amrapali Mahi Developers, which is a joint venture between the sports personality and the firm.

According to Eureka Mobile Advertising’s senior vice president Ganapathy Viswanathan, the move won’t see any impact on his brand fees. “I do not see his brand value being affected. For the simple reason that at the end of the day, cricket has become an entertainment-based game. He is still in the exciting part of the game like ODIs and Twenty20s. Therefore, I do not see his brand value being diluted. Maybe, it will not go up phenomenally, but it will remain stable.”

GroupM ESP India entertainment sports and live events national director Vinit Karnik, on the other hand, opines that Dhoni’s brand value will not be impacted in the short term this year, as he will still be playing the game’s marquee events like the World Cup and the Indian Premiere League (IPL). “But subsequently, in 2016, there could be an impact. Post 2015, there will definitely be some correction, even if he does well at the World Cup.”

January 10, 2015
Magic Bus named as official charity partner for Aircel Chennai Open 2015 edition

MUMBAI: The organisers of the Aircel Chennai Open have announced that Magic Bus India Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that steers underprivileged children towards a better life with better awareness, life skills, and opportunities, is the official charity partner of the tournament. This is the first year Magic Bus is partnering with the event.

Through the association, Magic Bus will execute the sport for development programme in Chennai in 2015 for underprivileged children, financed out of the ATP Aces for charity grant. The ATP Aces for charity is a global initiative aimed at giving back to communities where ATP World Tour events are played, and supporting tournament and player charitable activities, which focus on causes from education to youth and community services to health and fitness.

Last month, the NGO organised its 2014 benefit during which the Open sold its premium VIP seats to Magic Bus to help raise money for charity. During an event organised at the Stadium’s Centre Court, ATP Supervisor Mark Darby, presented a cheque of $15,000 to founder and executive chairman Matthew Spacie. The proceeds will be used by Magic Bus to enrol 1,000 underprivileged children across Chennai into the Magic Bus sport for development programme.

Magic Bus will invite 350 children enrolled in Magic Bus programmes in Chennai to participate in the Kid’s tennis clinic and witness centre court matches to expose children to the sport.

Magic Bus founder and executive chairman Matthew Spacie said, “Through a number of programmes in partnership with the tournament and the ATP, we hope to give millions of children living in poverty the opportunity to control the way they view the world, the freedom to choose the role they will play in it, and the power to define their own destiny.”

IMG Reliance chief operating officer Ashu Jindal commented, “We are happy to enter into a meaningful partnership with Magic Bus India Foundation and look forward to using the platform that the Aircel Chennai Open gives us to make a positive difference to the lives of the underprivileged in India. We welcome Magic Bus into the ACO family today.”

January 9, 2015
Sony Six acquires rights for Africa Cup of Nations

MUMBAI: Sony Six has bagged the rights to air the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 live in South Asia. The tournament is the international football championship of Africa held every two years and organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).The upcoming edition of the tournament will be played in Equatorial Guinea from 17 January to 8 February 2015.

This year’s edition will be the first ever to be shown live in India and will feature line-ups of teams such as Ghana, Ivory Coast and South Africa. Some of the stars headlining the Africa Cup of Nations this year include Christian Atsu, Papiss Cisse, Asamoah Gyan (Ghana),Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure, Cheick Tiote, Wilfried Bony (Ivory Coast) and Diafra Sakho (Senegal).

Commenting on the acquisition, Sony Six business head Prasana Krishnan said, “The rights for the Africa Cup of Nations are a great addition to our bouquet of live sports programming. This reinforces our position as the home for the top international football tournaments. Furthermore, most of the matches from the tournament are going to be telecast here at prime time, which will boost its viewership in our region.”

This year’s Africa Cup of Nations will guarantee a new champion, as Nigeria, the winners of the last championship did not qualify for the tournament. The opening match will be played between the hosts Equatorial Guinea and Congo at Estadio de Bata and shown live on Six SD and HD on 17 January, 2015 at 9:30pm.

January 9, 2015
SC instructs BCCI to pay service tax for recording matches

MUMBAI: The apex court of India has directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to pay service tax for recording cricket matches, citing the reason that it was a service provider. The decision came in the wake of the Supreme Court dismissing a plea seeking to challenge the levying of the service tax on it.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice HL Dattu and Justice AK Sikri posed the question. “If it (recording of match for live telecast) is not a service tax matter then what it can be,” as the BCCI counsel sought to circumvent the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) order upholding the levying of service tax.

The cricket board had moved to court after CESTAT had directed it to pay Rs 18 crore for the period from 2006 to 2010.The CESTAT order was passed on 28 August 2014.

The court further observed that whatever activity was undertaken by the BCCI in the country ‘is a service’. Declining the plea by the domestic cricket body, the court in its concluding statement noted that “recording is also an art as billions and billions of people are watching it”.
The BCCI asserted that it was just the recording of the match and was not a production activity.

January 8, 2015
ICC announces associate and affiliate panel of umpires for 2015

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the 11-member ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires for 2015, which follows the annual review and selection process.

Scotland’s Allan Haggo has joined Sameer Bandekar, Kathy Cross, Mark Hawthorne, Wynand Louw, Nigel Morrison, David Odhiambo, Buddhi Pradhan, Sarika Siva Prasad, Ian Ramage and Courtney Young in the panel for 2015.

The panel was named by the Associate and Affiliate Selection Committee, which comprises of Senior ICC Umpire and Referees Manager Vince Van Der Bijl; ICC Umpire and Referees Administration Manager Adrian Griffith; ICC Regional Match Referee David Jukes; and ICC Development Events Manager Edward Fitzgibbon.

The 53-year-old Haggo recently officiated at Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 4 in Singapore 2014, including the final.

Ireland umpire Richard Smith, who officiated during the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Australia in 2012, has stepped down from the panel, having moved from Ireland. Smith joined the panel in 2011, and officiated in six ODIs and six T20Is, including the historic Bangladesh in Netherlands tri-series in 2012.

The umpires on the ICC Associate and Affiliate Panel of International Umpires can be assigned to ODI and T20I matches involving Associate and Affiliate Members, ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers and ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers, as well as ICC Intercontinental Cup matches, the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship and Divisions, and other Associate and Affiliate tournaments.

January 7, 2015
Liverpool FC’s – DSK Shivajians – gets shot in the arm with investment of Rs 50 crore

MUMBAI: With football fever reaching a crescendo with the recently concluded Hero Indian Super League (ISL), the country seems to have fallen in love with the game once again. It definitely has more to do with the rugged game itself rather than its celebrity owners. While foreign clubs have a fair fan share in India right from Man U to Real Madrid and AC Milan, many of them have spotted opportunities and carried out various initiatives in India to further build on this huge supporter base for the game. A case in point is Manchester United and Chelsea, with both conducting clinics in India.

Not only this, Arsenal too has had multiple training centres in New Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Liverpool, on the other hand, has a tie-up with DSK Shivajians, and has formed India’s first internationally-branded residential football academy, called the Liverpool International Football Academy- DSK Shivajians. “With a total investment of over Rs 50 crore, we are confident that India will experience the international flavour of football,” says LFC International Football Academy, DSK-Shivajians CEO Ardeshir Jeejeebhoy.

The Academy located at Pune, promises to provide aspiring young talent with the right platform to get trained under expert supervision and world-class infrastructure. It has a state-of-the-art 4G pitch, along with a natural turf, self-contained accommodation, gym and swimming pool and a cafeteria serving varied dietary requirements. The Academy thus far has enrolled 64 players from all across India in the Under 17 and Under 19 age groups. They will also be provided group tutorials for core subjects, which aggregate over 660 hours of classes over the year. When asked about the long-term objective of the Academy, Jeejeebhoy informs, “The aim is to give a platform to aspiring talented footballers to train and get direct supervision from two full-time talented coaches from Liverpool FC. We look at it as an opportunity for taking Indian football to international standards.”

About the players and franchise owners, he opines that the League is an excellent platform for Indian talent to get noticed on the international arena and a great opportunity for stakeholders in football across the country to engage with the youth.

“Sponsors get more visibility for their brand due to the sheer magnitude and uniqueness of the event and with the use of modern methods of advertising and marketing in the digital space. The new format does not have a clutter of brands, which ensures the brands that have partnered with the ISL get valuable presence and recall,” he says.

“One of the many ways that the League could be looked at to bring in-stadia spectators closer to the game, would be to invest in refurbishing existing infrastructure and building stadia, where its sheer design and layout allows spectators to be closer to the pitch. This will establish a better connect with the game,” the executive goes on.

Moving on to Star India, a promoter of the League, Jeejeebhoy feels the commitment from the Network with prime time spots and live HD telecast, added to the quality of the product. “Over the past couple of years, audiences have shown a growing interest and acceptance in sports as varied as football, motorsports, kabbadi and tennis among others. Boxing also has true potential going forward,” says Jeejeebhoy.

The growing TV viewership for FIFA World Cup and football leagues such as UEFA Europa League from Europe, have shown the increasing popularity of football as a viewership sport in India. The game has always been followed at a regional level and one would hope with the ISL, that the game is accepted across the country.

Concluding on a high note, he is of the opinion that, “with the advent of the ISL and the country hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017, it has created a lot of positive buzz around football.”

“It’s the very first time that something of this magnitude has been attempted for football in the country, and has generated interest not only from football followers, but also neutrals, who have flocked in large numbers to the stadia. Fans, who erstwhile did not have such an opportunity to watch live matches, have turned up in huge swarms,” he concludes.

January 7, 2015
College Football Playoff semifinal brings in New Year cheer to ESPN

MUMBAI: While it has been just a few days since the year has reigned in, it has already brought in cheer to sportscaster ESPN. The sportscaster’s move to pay $7.3 billion over 12 years including a reported $610 million annual commitment this year has paid off if the TV ratings are taken into account. The two games of the inaugural College Football Playoff semifinals on ESPN on 1 January 2015, delivered the largest two audiences in cable television history claims the channel.

The Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at 5 pm. ET – wherein Oregon defeated previously unbeaten Florida State 59-20, the largest margin of victory in the Rose Bowl Game since 1948 – averaged 28,164,000 viewers (P2+), based on a 14.8 rating, according to Nielsen. On the other hand, the Allstate Sugar Bowl at 9 pm ET – Ohio State 42-35 over top-seeded Alabama – averaged 28,271,000 viewers, based on a 15.2 rating.

Speaking about the spurt in the TV ratings, ESPN executive vice president, programming and production John Wildhack said, “These record-setting numbers illustrate the enormous fan interest in college football and the wide-ranging appeal of the new college football playoff format,” He went on to add that the channel was excited to further build on the success when it showcases the first ever college football layoff national championship on 12 January.

Both games generated an increase over the ESPN bowl games in the respective 1 January time slots a year ago: a 51 per cent increase in viewership for the Rose Bowl Game (vs. 18,636,000) and 150 per cent increase for the Sugar Bowl (vs. 11,304,000). The ratings rose 45 percent (from 10.2) and 130 percent (from 6.6), respectively.

The average New Year’s Six game live on WatchESPN attracted 5,05,000 unique viewers, 26.2 million minutes viewed and an average minute audience of 118,000 – up by 229 percent, 214 percent and 198 percent, respectively, compared to the same dates last year, says the channel.

On social media, four million tweets were sent about the New Year’s Six Bowl games across the two days comprising 70 per cent of all tweets about TV programming in those 48 hours. Additionally, despite the score of the matchup between Florida State and Oregon in the Rose Bowl, it was the most tweeted about game of the New Year’s Six with 2.6 million tweets and ranks as the most tweeted about football game (NFL or college) of the 2014-15 season.

The New Year’s Day semifinal winners – Oregon and Ohio State (both 13-1) – will play in the inaugural championship presented by AT&T at 8 30 pm. on ESPN, WatchESPN and ESPN Radio. In addition, ESPN Deportes will provide exclusive Spanish-language coverage of the championship. ESPN Deportes Radio also will carry game, marking the first-ever national Spanish-language radio broadcast of a college football title game. As part of the deal to telecast the games, the sports caster will telecast seven games a year; four major bowl games, two semifinal bowl games and the national championship game.

January 6, 2015
M S Dhoni to lead team for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

MUMBAI: The wait is finally over for cricket fans as the list of the Indian squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup has been finalised.

The all-India senior selection committee, which met today, selected the Indian team for the tri-series between India, Australia and England to be played in Australia from 18 January 2015, as well as the final Indian team for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup 2015. It will be played in Australia and New Zealand from February 2015.

The Indian squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will be led by MS Dhoni while Virat Kohli has been appointed as the vice captain. Others in the squad include Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Md. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.

On the other hand, the squad for the tri series will see Dhoni taking charge as the captain. Kohli will again come into play as the vice captain. The others who made it to the list are Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Md. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni.

January 6, 2015
Aircel Chennai Open trophy travels 350 kms, touches 4500 fans in Chennai

MUMBAI: The 2015 edition of the Aircel Chennai Open will mark two decades since the very first game of India’s premier and South Asia’s only ATP world tour stop was played. To commemorate the tournament’s fantastic achievements, students from 12 schools and 14 colleges got an opportunity to celebrate their very own World Tour event and catch a glimpse of the 2015 Aircel Trophy during a tour spanning over two weeks in Chennai.

The 20th year celebrations of India’s only ATP World Tour stop include a host of exciting activities sure to thrill tennis fans who are waiting to enjoy scintillating tennis action at Chennai’s SDAT Tennis Stadium between 5-11 January.

Initiatives include a renovated SDAT Stadium, the launch of a special logo created to mark the occasion, free passes to school students from Government schools to watch matches for the first four days, and a host of ongoing activities across India.

The exclusive trophy tour visited Chennai’s most prominent landmarks including 12 schools, 14 colleges, six IT parks, five public parks and locations and three tennis academies over a course of two weeks.

Some of the iconic locations covered during the ACO trophy tour were Loyola College, MOP College for Women, Ethiraj College, Ascendas IT Park, YMCA Nandanam, Padma Sarangani School, EGA Theatre, Marina Beach, TIDEL Park and CTS (Cognizant).

This ACO trophy is an amalgamation of classic and contemporary stylizations. Much like the sport it represents, with traditional values in an ever changing modern world. The bands of intricate hand detailed motifs, the sweeping elegant contours and the touch of rich 24k gold gilt are all symbolic of excellence. This trophy is designed, handcrafted and hallmarked for Aircel exclusively by Frazer and Haws.

While fans young and old grabbed the fantastic chance to witness the premier ATP tennis symbol in their own neighborhood and take pictures with it, the tour also offered people a chance to participate in exciting quiz sessions and an Aircel fastest serve challenge to win loads of prizes that included about 400 tickets and 750 special tennis balls.

The Aircel fastest serve challenge was organised at Phoenix Market City, Chennai on 20, 21, 27 and 28 December. In fastest serve challenge people could try swinging the racket to clock ball speeds touching 80 kmph, and win tickets.

Youngsters thronged the serving booth in a desperate attempt to get one of three chances right to clinch the announced prize. The tennis fans and enthusiasts will also get the opportunity to participate in the Aircel fastest serve challenge at the stadium for all four days.

The title sponsor for the tournament is Aircel and the event is supported by a consortium of sponsors in the Platinum category, headed by the Government of Tamil Nadu.

December 31, 2014