Category: Sports

Dazn to live broadcast Fifa Club World Cup ’25 for free globally

MUMBAI: Here’s even more good news for football fans. There’s more football fever being kicked into your living rooms to cheer for until you are hoarse.

The international football federation Fifa has signed up with streamer Dazn making it the exclusive global broadcaster of the FiFa Club World Cup 2025. Under the agreement, the tournament which will see 32 clubs from all over the world fighting it out for the trophy over 63 matches is to be live streamed on Dazn free globally in multiple languages, and includes the possibility of sub-licensing to local free to air linear broadcast networks.

The Fifa Club World Cup 2025, which was launched in 2000, but had gone through a bumpy ride in certain years, was converted into a quadrennial competition (starting 2025) when it was last held in 2023. The teams are drawn into eight groups of four, with each team playing three group stage matches in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, starting with the round of 16 and culminating with the final.

In its previous avatar when it was an annual competition, Real Madrid emerged as the winner on five occasions, Spanish teams have won the tournament eight times. The current champions are Manchester City which held the trophy aloft in 2023.

The agreement to hold the exclusive global broadcast rights to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 marks the start of a broader partnership between Dazn and Fifa. This includes integrating Fifa+, Fifa’s library of iconic football moments and full-match replays, as well as live fixtures, into the Dazn platform.

The partnership begins with the draw of the Fifa Club World Cup which will be broadcast live on Dazn on 5 December. The 32 participating clubs will discover their group-stage opponents in a live studio event that will kick off at 13:00 EST/18:00 GMT/19:00 CET. The Fifa Club World Cup 2025, which kicks off on Sunday 15 June 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami will have matches being played in 12 venues across the US over a 29-day period, culminating with the final at MetLife Stadium, New York New Jersey on Sunday, 13 July 2025.

Making a top club competition freely available to every single fan globally, the ground breaking partnership combines Dazn’s unique expertise and vision for the future with Fifa’s commitment to making football truly global, claims a press release issued by the two.

It also helps that the Fifa Club World Cup has finally found a home as this will help the football federation rope in sponsors. Reports say that the clubs have been asking for $50 million per head to participate ; so far it has managed to sign up Chinese electronics firm Hi-sense, Anheuser Busch (AB InBev) and Bank of America as sponsors. Additionally, reports say that the deal between Dazn and Fifa is valued at about $1 billion, though no financial terms were disclosed.

“I am delighted to announce that Fifa, in partnership with Dazn and Fifa+, will bring the best of club football for free to everywhere in the world, meaning that every single football fan across the globe can watch the best players from the 32 best clubs compete in the new Fifa Club World Cup to be the first official Fifa Club World Champions’,” said Fifa president Gianni Infantino “The new Fifa Club World Cup is a merit-based, inclusive tournament that will be the pinnacle of global club football, capturing the imagination of players and fans across the world. Through this broadcasting agreement, billions of football fans worldwide can now watch what will be the most widely accessible club football tournament ever – and for free. Football Unites the World.”

Added Dazn chief executive officer Shay Segev: “This groundbreaking deal with Fifa is a major milestone in Dazn’s journey to be the ultimate entertainment platform of choice for sports fans everywhere. We’re delighted to have the exclusive rights to this new chapter in global club football, marking the start of our long-term relationship with FIFA and cementing our status as the home of football. Dazn is the only sports streaming platform that has a truly global reach, with world-leading technology and a single-minded focus to deliver the very best digital experience for all sports fans. We’re committed to ensuring that every fan can watch every moment of the thrilling action from this new prime club tournament.”

Dazn – a fully interactive and immersive platform – enables fans to watch, play, buy and connect, all in one place and with a single account. It is available on all connected devices, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and game consoles. It has a large portfolio of sports rights and that includes the world’s most prestigious leagues. Its content is watched by over 300 million viewers in more than 200 markets. It is normally charges a subscription fee for premium sports tournaments.

A detractor says that Dazn and Fifa have taken the decision to stream the Fifa Club World Cup for free as the tournament is working on gaining prestige amongst football fans. As well as advertisers.

“It does not have the respectability of the La Liga or the EPL. In its annual avatar it did not get even a fraction of the eyeballs the EPL does. Hence by streaming it for free, both Fifa and Dazn are hoping it will grow on football fans,” says a football rights expert.

The critics can carp from the sidelines, but with both Fifa and Dazn working in tandem, the Fifa Club World Cup 2025 could well end scoring well with viewers. And come out a winner!

FIFA Club World Cup 2025 – participating clubs

Africa: Al Ahly FC (EGY), Espérance Sportive de Tunis (TUN), Mamelodi Sundowns FC (RSA), Wydad AC (MAR)

Asia: Al Ain FC (UAE), Al Hilal (KSA), Ulsan HD (KOR), Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN)

Europe: Atlético de Madrid (ESP), FC Bayern München (GER), SL Benfica (POR), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Chelsea FC (ENG), FC Internazionale Milano (ITA), Juventus FC (ITA), Manchester City (ENG), Paris Saint-Germain (FRA), FC Porto (POR), Real Madrid CF (ESP), FC Salzburg (AUT)

North and Central America and the Caribbean: CF Monterrey (MEX), CF Pachuca (MEX), Club León (MEX), Inter Miami CF (USA), Seattle Sounders FC (USA) Oceania: Auckland City FC (NZL)

South America: CA Boca Juniors (ARG), Botafogo (BRA), CR Flamengo (BRA), Fluminense FC (BRA), SE Palmeiras (BRA), CA River Plate (ARG)

December 4, 2024
IPL’s business value will only rise: investment bank Houlihan Lokey, Brand Finance

MUMBAI: The numbers are eye-popping. And they should please the calculators at JioStar, the newly created joint venture between Disney Star and Reliance’s Viacom18 just as its sales folks go into the market to raise sponsorship and free commercial time advertisers for its 2025 season.

Brand Finance in its 17th IPL valuation report said that the IPL’s cumulative brand value rose 13 per cent to $12 billion. The league was valued at $2 billion in 2009, $10.7 billion in 2023, according to Brand Finance.

Chennai Super Kings registered a brand value at $122 million growing a healthy 52 per cent, Mumbai Indians grew 36 per cent at $119 million, RCB increased 67 per cent with a brand value of $117 million, KKR rose 38 per cent to be valued at $109 million, Sunrisers Hyderabad climbed 76 per cent to touch $85 million, Rajasthan Royals had a 30 per cent increase ($81 million), Delhi Capitals, 24 per cent to touch $80 million, Gujarat Titans showed a five per cent growth to generate a brand value of $69 million while Punjab Kings racked up a 49 per cent rise to be valued at $68 million.

“IPL 2024 witnessed a significant paradigm shift, with four franchise brands now surpassing the $100 million mark in brand value and experiencing dramatic increases in central revenue shares. Digital viewership has overtaken traditional TV numbers, while domestic batters and bowlers are emerging as key performers. Does this mark a dramatic turn for the IPL, signalling a positive transformation for the league’s future?” said Brand Finance India managing director Ajimon Francis.

Meanwhile, global investment bank Houlihan Lokey which released its IPL brand valuation study in June 2024 had valued the swashbuckling league as a business at $16.5 billion (Rs 134,858 crore).

According to Houlihan Lokey corporate senior vice-president corporate valuation advisory services Harsh Talikoti who penned the report, the IPL in 2024 showed a growth of 6.5 per cent over the 2023 season’s business value which was at $15.4 billion. The business value of the league was pegged at just $8.5 billion in 2022 by the advisory firm.

Houlihan Lokey used the discounted cash flow method to reach at these valuation numbers.

In 2024, the IPL has transcended traditional sports norm to become a global phenomenon, it says.

The brand value of the IPL has also soared from $1.8 billon in 2022 to $3.2 billion in 2023 to $3.4 billion in 2024 – a growth of 6.3 per cent. The valuation was determined using the relief from royalty method.

Houlihan Lokey estimated the title sponsorship of the league cost the Tata group Rs 2,500 crore for a five-year period (approx. Rs 500 crore per season) which was a growth of approximately 50 per cent than the previous season’s deal of Rs 335 crore per season.

The TV commercial ad rates have gone northwards from Rs 14.5 lakh in 2022 to Rs 16 lakh in 2023 to Rs 16.5 lakh in 2024, according to the report.

Chennai Super Kings is the most valued amongst all the teams with a $ 231 million brand value. “CSK is the most consistent team in the league. Not only have they qualified in the playoffs for a staggering 12 out of 15 seasons they have played in, they have also won five titles. Former CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been the face of the franchisee and the biggest contributor to the franchisee’s success,” says the report.

The second most valued team is Royal Challengers Bengaluru with a valuation of $227 million. “The team’s emotional connection with fans, coupled with consistent efforts to fortify its brand, has cemented its enduring appeal, attracting marquee sponsors at premium rates,” revealed the report.

Kolkata Knight Riders ranks third with a brand value of $216 million. Mumbai Indians comes in fourth with its brand valuation at $204 million. According to Houlihan Lokey, “MI’s brand value was impacted slightly due to the negativity surrounding the team after a change in captaincy and its on-field performances; however, the long-term goodwill associated with the brand helped to negate the impact.”

Rajasthan Royals came in fifth with its value at $133 million. Sunrisers Hyderabad is at sixth with its brand value at $132 million. Delhi Capitals is at seventh with its brand value at $131 million. Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings made the tail end of the rankings with their valuations at $124 and $101 million respectively.

Houlihan Lokey believes that the IPL has some way to go to achieve its potential.

“Though these stats may look slightly lower than other established leagues, it is important to note that the IPL commenced just over 15 years ago, while the EPL has been standing ground for over 25 years and the NFL for over 40. It is only natural for one to expect a growth in this tournament in terms of size and volume. The IPL has proven its current value and is sure to become the next big thing in the sports world,” predicts the report.

You can download the full report by clicking on the link: Houlihan Lokey: IPL Valuation Study 2024

You can access the BrandFinance data by clicking here: Brand Finance IPL valuation study

(Picture courtesy: IPL)

December 4, 2024
Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge renews title sponsorship deal with Hero MotoCorp till 2030

MUMBAI: Veteran champion golfer Tiger Woods’ events production company TGR Live has found a hero. The world’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp has agreed to extend its title sponsorship of the Hero World Challenge, which is under the TGR Live umbrella. The PGA-sanctioned tournament will now remain at Albamy, Bahamas through the 2030 playing. Additionally, the Indian two-wheeler firm has said yes to continuing with Woods as its global corporate partner.

The tournament rounds will be held between 5 and 8 December and it will be televised on the Golf Channel during all its rounds and by NBC during the third and final rounds.

The Hero World Challenge is the longest-running PGA Tour event managed by TGR Live. The event was started by Woods and his father Earl in January 2000 to raise funds for the TGR Foundation. Hero MotoCorp first title sponsored the tournament in 2014 at Isleworth Golf & Country Club. In 2015, the tournament moved to Albany, Bahamas where it will be played for the ninth time in 2024.Under Hero’s title sponsorship, the tournament has grown from 18 players to 20.

Right from its inception, Woods vision has always been to utilise the event to raise awareness, support and resources that make a positive impact in the lives of youth around the world. Proceeds from the 2024 Hero World Challenge benefit TGR Foundation, Tavistock Foundation and Bahamas Youth Foundation.

“Hero MotoCorp has played a vital role in the tournament’s evolution, growth and success; and their commitment is felt by everyone who joins us at Albany,” said Woods “Through the years I have come to respect Pawan (Munjal, the executive chairman of Hero MotoCorp) as a visionary leader and more importantly a trusted friend. His progressive leadership has made a significant impact not only on the future of global mobility but also the game of golf.”

On his part, Munjal said he was proud to extend the partnership with Woods as the money raised from it goes towards the foundation which helps bring in meaningful change in communities just like Hero Motocorp group pioneers transformative innovations in the automotive industry.

“Over the past decade, I have witnessed firsthand his extraordinary impact – not only as one of the greatest athletes in history but also as a global ambassador of excellence and a beacon of inspiration for millions,” Munjal elaborated. “This enduring collaboration is more than a testament to shared values; it’s a commitment to redefining boundaries, driving innovation, and shaping a better world. Together, we remain resolute in our mission to create a meaningful and lasting legacy that transcends sports and inspires generations to come. Together with Tiger, we are committed to elevating the Hero World Challenge as a powerful platform for positive social impact and global inspiration.”

Scottie Scheffler won the Hero World Challenge in 2023 with his score being 20 under and his his margin of victory being three strokes. Runner-up was Sepp Straka.

December 3, 2024
AIFF assigns national football tournament telecast rights to Shrachi Sports for 2024-25

MUMBAI: Football fans are going to get more soccer than they could have ever imagined. Close on the heels of JioStar signing up with the Premier League as well as presenting the Indian Super league, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) signed a commercial rights agreement for its premier competitions (I-League, I-League 2, IWL, senior national football championship for the Santosh Trophy and senior women’s national football championship for the Rajmata Jijabai Trophy) with Shrachi Sports Endeavour Pvt Ltd for producing and broadcasting 338 matches in the 2024-25 season on 2 December 2024.

The senior men and women club leagues and national championship matches will be streamed on the SSEN app (owned by Shrachi Sports Endeavor), and 110 of the 132 I-League matches will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network.

“This significant partnership will help Indian football to get necessary exposure,” said AIFF secretary general Anilkumar.

Shrachi Sports managing director Rahul Todi said that the agreement will provide “a platform for men and women players to showcase their talents to national and international audiences with high quality HD content. With this partnership, Shrachi shows its commitment towards being part of India’s growing sports ecosystem.”

The SSN streaming platform is available to football fans at three price points: Rs 20 for a single match as a pay per view option, Rs 100 for an entire tournament and Rs 600 as an annual subscription which gives access to all the matches for all the tournaments.

December 2, 2024
DD scoops Hockey India League live telecast rights for next three years

MUMBAI: There’s nothing more exciting that seeing a player with a hockey stick in his hand dribbling past the mid-field, swerving and dodging past the defending backs and reverse flicking the ball into the goal, leaving the goal keeper stranded and flat on his back on the turf.

Many more such moments will be available to field hockey lovers courtesy pubcaster Doordarshan, It has pocketed the rights to live telecast the sixth edition of the Hockey India League (HIL), which will begin from 28 December 2024, thanks to an agreement it has signed with Hockey India (HI).( Reports are that the contract between the two is actually for the next three years.) What’s special with the new agreement is that DD will also be bringing the women’s HIL matches live to viewers apart from the fast-paced men’s. tournament.

Sports lovers may recall that the Indian national men’s team has been gradually getting back its mojo and won the bronze medal at this year’s Paris Olympics as well as in Tokyo.

HIL will have eight men’s teams and four women’s teams participating in Rourkela and Ranchi, showcasing outstanding talent from India and around the world.

Said Prasar Bharati chairman Navneet Sehgal: “We are privileged to partner with the HIL, a platform that celebrates our national sports and aligns people across different categories. Through our comprehensive coverage, we aim to bring the electrifying spirit of hockey, including the historic debut of Women HIL, to viewers everywhere, bridging the urban and rural divide and amplifying the league’s impact.”

Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi added: “Indian sports lovers are confident that the golden era of Indian hockey is being brought back. Doordarshan as the public broadcaster is looking forward to contributing to this broader vision through this partnership. The idea is to elevate hockey production and broadcast to global sporting standards. The sports lovers across the world can now watch the HIL, both men and women on DD Sports and Waves- the recently launched OTT platform of Prasar Bharati.”

HIL governing committee chairperson Dilip Tirkey said, “We are thrilled to partner with Doordarshan as the official broadcaster of the HIL. This year is particularly special with the launch of the Women’s HIL, a landmark step in promoting women’s hockey. Doordarshan’s unparalleled reach and commitment to sports perfectly align with our vision of taking hockey to every corner of the nation. Together, we aim to inspire millions and elevate the HIL to unprecedented heights.”

HIL governing committee member Bhola Nath Singh commented, “Hockey is more than just a sport for us – it’s a symbol of our unity and pride. The addition of the Women’s HIL this season is a giant leap forward in ensuring equality and recognition for women athletes. With Doordarshan as our partner, we’re ready to present a spectacular season of HIL. ‘Hockey connects us, and this partnership strengthens that bond’.”

As part of its partnership with HI, Doordarshan says it will also broadcast all HI national championships and tournaments in India.

(Picture courtesy Hockey India League)

December 1, 2024
Jay Shah begins tenure as ICC chair

MUMBAI: Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) honorary secretary Jay Shah began his tenure as chair of the International Cricket Conference on 1 December.

Said Shah in a press release issued by ICC: “I am honoured to be starting in the role of ICC chair and want to thank the ICC directors and member boards for their support and trust in me to undertake this important role.

“This is an exciting time for the sport as we build up to the LA28 Olympic Games and strive to make cricket more inclusive and popular than ever before. We also stand at a critical juncture in terms of the coexistence of multiple formats and accelerating the growth of the women’s game. There is huge potential for the game of cricket globally, with so much opportunity to engage with existing and new fans, while ensuring the best resources and platforms for our cricketers around the world.

“I would also like to thank Greg Barclay for his leadership in the role for the past four years and the milestones achieved during that period. I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and the member countries to sustainably expand the game’s reach and evolution on the global stage.”

Shah like the cricketers – who his organization governs – who notch up records match after match has got quite a few records under his hat himself.

One of the youngest members of the Gujarat Cricket Association. The youngest ever honorary secretary of the BCCI. ). And in August 2024 the 36 year old Jay Shah added another feather to his hat: the youngest ever chairperson of the International Cricket Conference. Shah was unanimously elected as the ICC chair – as he was the sole nominee – succeeding New Zealand’s Greg Barclay, who was in the role from November 2020.

Shah has built his reputation as a great administrator. While at the BCCI, he helped take Indian cricket to newer heights with key accomplishments such as record-breaking IPL media rights deal, creation of the Women’s Premier League, creation of new state-of-the-art centre of excellence, test cricket incentive scheme and more. He has also played important roles in world cricket as the president of the Asian Cricket Council and as chair of the ICC’s finance and commercial affairs committee.

Picture: ICC website

December 1, 2024
JioStar bags Premier League broadcasting rights for next three year cycle

MUMBAI: Premier League (EPL) fans in India can clink their beer mugs with glee. Especially if they are going to be watching the matches between their favourite clubs in a bar. JioStar has secured the media rights for the next three seasons beginning with the 2025-2026 one, in a deal valued at $65 million, if a report in The Economic Times is to be believed. In all probability, the rights cover both live broadcasting on television and on streaming.

The audiovisual rights for the previous cycle (2022-2025) were with Disney Star India’s Star Sports. However, with Disney Star India merging with Reliance Industries’ owned Viacom18 and Bodhi Tree Systems and being renamed as JioStar, it was the latter which put in the bid and acquired the rights.

JioStar also has the rights to the Indian Super League – India’s premier soccer tournament – which came its way in the wake of the merger.

“With this, the conglomerate will be driving the future of football in India,” says a sports media consultant. “They are going to be putting a lot of marketing and promotional muscle behind the Premier League because if you look at the new deal with it, Uday Shankar and team Sanjog Gupta have apportioned $11 million for marketing EPL events in India during the cycle and $54 million for the audiovisual rights, according to the ET report.”

However, how the live telecasts will be divided between Sports18 and Star Sports and Hotstar and JioCinema was not clear at the time of writing. Keep watching this space until some clarity comes in.

Manchester City had lifted the Premier League title in May 2024 with Arsenal emerging as the runner-up.

(Picture courtesy Premier League website)

December 1, 2024
Zee to broadcast DP World ILT20 season 3 live across 15 channels & Zee5

Mumbai: Cricket enthusiasts, get ready for a month-long carnival of action as DP World International League T20 (ILT20) season 3 kicks off on 11 January 2025. The tournament will feature 34 electrifying matches across iconic UAE venues, concluding with the grand final on 9 February 2025. Fans can catch all the live action exclusively on Zee Entertainment’s 15 linear TV channels, the OTT platform Zee5, and syndicate partner networks globally.

The season opens with a thrilling rematch between defending champions MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium, starting at 7:30 PM IST. Matches will be hosted at Dubai, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Cricket Stadium, and Sharjah Cricket Stadium, ensuring fans enjoy high-octane cricket in prime time.

This year, Zee Entertainment aims to build on ILT20’s phenomenal growth, with 348 million viewers globally during the last season. For Season 3, Zee plans to surpass 230 million viewers, introducing broadcasts on South Indian channels and offering content in Hindi and English commentary. The tournament will be aired on channels like &Pictures, Zee Cinema HD, &Flix, Zee Zest, and more, alongside Zee5’s OTT platform.

Zee Entertainment, chief growth officer – digital & broadcast revenue, Ashish Sehgal expressed his excitement: “We are thrilled to present Season 3 of DP World ILT20. With the finest global players, iconic venues, and engaging broadcasts, we aim to make this season the most-widely followed cricket event. Our commitment remains unwavering as we bring unparalleled cricketing action to fans worldwide.”

DP World ILT20 CEO, David White echoed this sentiment: “Season 3 promises bigger thrills with world-class players and teams delivering electrifying entertainment. Our partnership with Zee ensures that fans worldwide experience the best cricketing action live, while also enjoying family-friendly events during matches.”

The league will feature cricketing icons like Andre Russell, David Warner, Sunil Narine, Shimron Hetmyer, and Matthew Wade, alongside exciting debuts by Jason Roy, Fakhar Zaman, and Shai Hope. Teams will continue to showcase UAE’s homegrown talent, with additional players to be announced next week.

From prime-time matches to double-headers on weekends, ILT20 Season 3 promises a dynamic schedule for fans. Special initiatives include ticket offers, family carnivals, and immersive experiences at stadiums.

Mark your calendars and join the cricketing spectacle. DP World ILT20 season 3 begins on 11 January 2025, delivering top-tier cricket excitement to fans in India and beyond.

November 27, 2024
IPL 2025 auction: A day of big spending

MUMBAI: Surprises galore! That’s what the day one of Tata IPL 2025 Mega Auction/player draft in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia threw up yesterday with some players being bought for astounding prices and some going unsold. Overall, the managements of the 10 teams spent Rs 467.5 crore, purchasing 72 players, of which 24 players were international players.

Amongst the biggest eyeopeners was the Rs 27 crore sticker price that Lucknow Super Giants paid to acquire the swashbuckling Rishabh Pant, making him the most expensive cricketer in the league’s history. Earlier, Punjab Kings coughed up Rs 26.75 crore for Shreyas Iyer breaking the Rs 24.75 crore record set for Mitchell Starc by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024.

Kolkata Knight Riders also almost broke the bank by shoveling Rs 23.75 crore for all arounder Venkatesh Iyer. Leggie Yuzvendra Chahal became the most expensive Indian spinner ever in IPL as Punjab Kings picked him for Rs 18 crore. Pacer Arshdeep Singh who was the first player to be put on the blocks during the auction was also purchased by Punjab Kings for an astounding Rs 18 crore, using the right to match card, beating out Sunrisers Hyderabad in the process. Amongst the players who went shockingly unsold included: Devdutt Padikkal, David Warner and Piyush Chawla.

When the day began, a total of 574 players were shortlisted from an initial pool of 1,574 names. This included 208 overseas players, 12 uncapped overseas talents, and 318 uncapped Indian players. Mallika Sagar stood up as the auctioneer for the whole period of the auction.

Chennai Super Kings had held on to Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni; Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube and Matheesha Pathirana while Mumbai Indians had retained Hardik Pandya. Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Tilak Varma. On the other hand Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal and Sunrisers Hyderabad retained Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy.

While Delhi Capitals players retained Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel. Punjab Kings had decided to continue with only Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh. Gujarat Titans retained Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan even as Lucknow Super Giants retained Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav , Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan. Rajasthan Royals held on to Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer and Sandeep Sharma even as Kolkata Knight Riders retained Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh.

This gave Punjab Kings a purse of Rs 110.5 crore when the auction commenced,; Rajasthan Royals, Rs 41 crore; Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rs 83 crore, Delhi Capitals, Rs 73 crore; Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 69 crore; Gujarat Titans, Rs 69 crore; Chennai Super Kings, Rs 55 crore; Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 51 crore; Mumbai Indians, Rs 45 crore and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 45 crore.

The players who were bought today included:

Kagiso Rabada (by Gujarat Titans for Rs 10.75 crore); Jos Buttler (Gujarat Titans, Rs 15.75 crore);
Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals, Rs 11.75 crore); Mohammed Shami (Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 10 crore); David Miller (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 7.50 crore); Mohammed Siraj (Gujarat Titans, 12.25 crore); Liam Livingstone (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rs 8.75 crore); K.L. Rahul (Delhi Capitals, Rs 14 crore); Harry Brook (Delhi Capitals, Rs 6.25 crore); Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 2 crore); Devon Conway (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 6.25 crore); Rahul Tripathi (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 3.40 crore); Jake Fraser-McGurk (Delhi Capitals, Rs 9 crore); Harshal Patel (Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 8 crore); Rachin Ravindra (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 4 crore); Ravichandran Ashwin (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 9.75 crore); Marcus Stoinis (Punjab Kings; Rs 11 crore); Mitchell Marsh (Lucknow Super Giants; Rs 3.40 crore); Glenn Maxwell goes (Punjab Kings, Rs 4.20 crore); Quinton de Kock (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 3.60 crore); Phil Salt (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rs 11.5 crore); Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 2 crore); Ishan Kishen (Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 11.25 crore); Jitesh Sharma (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rs 11 crore); Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rs 12.50 crore); Prasidh Krishna (Gujarat Titans, Rs 9.5 crore); Avesh Khan (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 9.75 crore); Anrich Nortje (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 6.5 crore); Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 12.5 crore); Khaleel Ahmed (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 4.80 crore); T. Natarajan (Delhi Capitals, Rs 10.75 crore); Trent Boult (Mumbai Indians, Rs 12.5 crore); Maheesh Theekshana (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 4.40 crore); Rahul Chahar (Sunrisers Hyderabad,Rs 3.20 crore); Adam Zampa (Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 2.40 crore); Wanindu Hasaranga (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 5.25 crore); Noor Ahmad (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 10 crore); Atharva Taide (Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 30 lakh); Nehal Wadhera (Punjab Kings, Rs 4.20 crore); Karun Nair (Delhi Capitals; Rs 50 lakh), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 3 crore); Abhinav Manohar (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 3.20 crore); buy Nishant Sindhu (Gujarat Titans, Rs 30 lakh); Naman Dhir (Mumbai Indians, Rs 5.25 crore); Sameer Rizvi (Delhi Capitals, Rs 95 lakh); Abdul Samad (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 4.20 crore); Harpreet Brar (Punjab Kings, Rs 1.50 crore); Vijay Shankar (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 1.20 crore); Mahipal Lomror (Gujarat Titans, Rs 1.70 crore); Ashutosh Sharma (Delhi Capitals, Rs 3.80 crore); Vishnu Vinod (Punjab Kings, Rs 95 lakh); Aryan Juyal (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 30 lakh); Anuj Rawat (Gujarat Titans, Rs 30 lakh); Robin Minz (Mumbai Indians, Rs 65 lakh); Kumar Kushagra (Gujarat Titans, Rs 65 lakh); Akash Madhwal (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 1.20 crore); Mohit Sharma (Delhi Capitals, Rs 2.20 crore); Vyshak Vijaykumar (Punjab Kings, Rs 1.80 crore). Vaibhav Arora (Kolkata Knight Riders , Rs 1.80 crore); Yash Thakur (Punjab Kings, Rs 1.60 crore); Simarjeet Singh (Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 1.5 crore); Suyash Sharma (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rs 2.6 crore); Manav Suthar (Gujarat Titans, Rs 30 lakh); Kumar Kartikeya Singh (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 30 lakh); Mayank Markande (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 30 lakh); Karn Sharma (Mumbai Indians, Rs 50 lakh) and Rasikh Dhar (Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rs 6 crore).

November 24, 2024
Star Sports wins four awards at SportsPro Summit Madrid

MUMBAI: JioStar head – sports production services to all consumer functions & production technology Prashant Khanna is over the moon. Just last week, Disney Star India was handed out four awards at SportsPro Summit in Madrid. All under his watch as head of the innovation lab at Disney Star prior to the network’s merger with Viacom18.

Amongst the awards that it won included:

* Platform of the Year – network – Gold:
A record-breaking year for Disney Star Sports: sky-high viewership and cutting-edge technologies

* Innovation of the Year – Gold:
Disney Star and ICC introduce “MaxView” for 800m+ mobile friendly cricket audience in India –

* Best Use of AI – bronze:
Star Sports used AI to translate international cricketers’ commentary into Indian regional languages

* Best Marketing Strategy – Gold
Hotstar for its marketing strategy which has driven awareness, engagement and consumption of sports content on an OTT platform.

“What a year for Star Sports it has been! Being recognised on a world stage along side the sports industry stalwarts is a testament of this team and our amazing partners in ICC, BCCI and other boards and leagues that allow us to push boundaries every time across our platforms (lnear and digital),” said PK (as he is known to colleagues) on Linkedin.

November 24, 2024