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Category: Sports

  • Star Sports signs Asia’s number one YouTuber CarryMinati for IPL 2024

    Star Sports signs Asia’s number one YouTuber CarryMinati for IPL 2024

    Mumbai: As the countdown to IPL 2024 begins, Star Sports, India’s leading sports broadcaster, has collaborated with Asia’s number-one YouTuber and India’s foremost content creator, CarryMinati aka Ajey Nagar. The 24-year-old Delhi-based creator, who is widely loved for his satirical roasting videos and gaming content, has been signed as the new face of ‘Cheeky Singles’, Star Sports’ special weekly show that captures the fun side of the sport. With a long-term vision to transform sports broadcasting, the exceptional collaboration will marry CarryMinati’s authentic brand of sharp humour and strong youth connection with Star Sports’ vast cricket viewership, promising an unprecedented viewing experience. The first episode airs on 21 March, 9:30 pm, on the Star Sports Network.

    Expressing enthusiasm about the collaboration, CarryMinati stated, “Cricket is a religion in India, and cricketers are worshipped. I got super excited when my business partner Deepak Char got me this opportunity to align creative forces with Star Sports for my first-ever cricket-led association. IPL is not just a cricket tournament; it’s a massive festival that brings the whole country and different nationalities together. I’m excited to add my twist to the show, making it more entertaining and engaging for the younger audiences and cricket fans alike.”

    With the IPL as a backdrop, ‘Cheeky Singles’ will feature CarryMinati encapsulating the highlights from the week in his known style. His personality and character coming together with the world of cricket stirs intrigue in the minds of Indian audiences. The show is being written by Vishal Dayama, who has worked with CarryMinati on some of his previous YouTube sketches. The show which will air once a week on the Star Sports Network throughout the IPL 2024 season will also cover trending topics, satirical takes on moments from the week.

    Watch the new edition of Cheeky Singles with CarryMinati, on 21 March, 9:30 pm onwards on the Star Sports Network.

  • Skyesports Masters 2024 European Qualifier gets underway

    Skyesports Masters 2024 European Qualifier gets underway

    Mumbai: The European Closed Qualifier for the Skyesports Masters 2024 is all set to take place from 19 to 24 March. Twelve of some of the biggest names in the region for Counter-Strike 2 will be taking part for a spot in the Skyesports Masters 2024 Main Event, where they will be fighting for a share of the staggering $350,000 prize pool.

    Here’s everything you need to know about the Skyesports Masters 2024 European Qualifier.

    Teams

    12 teams have been directly invited to take part in the event. These are as follows:

    •    BetBoom Team
    •    Fnatic
    •    Guild Eagles
    •    Preasy Esport
    •    3DMAX
    •    B8
    •    FORZE Esports
    •    GUN5 Esports
    •    Natus Vincere Junior
    •    Sprout
    •    TSM
    •    VP.Prodigy

    Format

    The 12 teams will lock horns in a single-elimination bracket to determine the champions. BetBoom Team, Fnatic, Guild Esports, and Preasy Esports, have been given a bye directly into the quarterfinal.

    All matches will be a best-of-three, except for the grand finals, which will be a best-of-five.

    The bracket is as follows:

    Sky sports
    Where to watch the Skyesports Masters 2024 European Qualifier?

    The Skyesports Masters 2024 European Qualifier will be broadcast live from March 19 to 24 on the Skyesports’ YouTube and Twitch channels. Matches will kick off at 11:30 am CET on each day.

    What is at stake?

    The champion of the Skyesports Masters 2024 European Qualifier will qualify for the main event. Here, they will be up against the likes of Aurora Gaming, BIG, ENCE, Team Liquid, Ninjas in Pyjamas, OG, and the champion of the India Qualifier.

    The main events boast a huge prize pool of $350,000. 

  • JioCinema unveils Stellar additions in their galaxy of superstars for the 2024 TATA IPL

    JioCinema unveils Stellar additions in their galaxy of superstars for the 2024 TATA IPL

    Mumbai: JioCinema unveiled new additions to their galaxy of superstars on their expert panel for the 2024 TATA Indian Premier League. India’s favourite sporting carnival will be brought to fans and viewers on JioCinema for free in 12 languages, English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, with Haryanvi making its debut.    

    In a never-seen-before avatar, one of the world’s most destructive openers, Virender Sehwag will headline the newly introduced Haryanvi language presentation on JioCinema. Ajay Jadeja will make his debut as a Gujarati language expert. The former India captain and MI Emirates batting coach will also feature in Hindi and Hangout feeds.

    The addition of IPL champion Shane Watson and former New Zealand coach and director of cricket at Royal Challengers Bangalore Mike Hesson, Sehwag, and Jadeja will further deepen JioCinema’s key proposition of providing fans inside access from key members who until recently shared the dressing room with top franchisees.

    After playing for Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab, Sehwag took on a mentor’s role with the Punjab franchise. Fans will witness him at his witty best, this time in the Haryanvi language. Manvinder Bisla, man of the match of the 2012 IPL Final, will also join Sehwag in the Haryanvi feed.

    After winning titles with Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, Watson continues his illustrious journey in the TATA IPL with JioCinema. He won the Player of the Tournament in the inaugural season with the Royals while his match-winning 117 for CSK in 2018 Final against Sunrisers Hyderabad has gone down as one of the best knocks ever in the IPL.

    Mike Hesson, one of the sharpest minds in cricket, will extend his journey with the TATA IPL as an expert with JioCinema. After having coached Kings XI Punjab, and worked as a director of cricket operations with the Royal Challengers Bangalore, the Kiwi pro will sit alongside some of the most iconic players he coached in the IPL including Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers.

    “The response we got for our deep and wide presentation of the TATA IPL 2023 from our viewers, advertisers, and cricket fanatics was heartening and we are doubling down on our innovations and initiatives for TATA IPL 2024,” said Viacom18 Sports head of content Siddharth Sharma. “This season we continue to elevate the experience with bigger names, deeper engagement with core, casual and curious fans through unique propositions like Hero Cam, Viral Weekends and the introduction of Haryanvi feed headlined by the iconic Virender Sehwag.”

    Taking advantage of the flexibility and the choices digital gives, JioCinema will offer a total of 18 feeds this year, including last year’s popular Insiders and Hangout feeds, newly introduced Hero Cam feed and a new proposition called Viral Weekend. Through the 2024 season, JioCinema will bring over 100 popular social content creators across every language, every weekend, to spawn conversations, anecdotes, and banter on the biggest sports proposition in the country in their inimitable style along with the star experts.

    Hero Cam, JioCinema’s latest camera angle addition this season, allows a viewer to not only all the live action but also the biggest hero within the game as the match unfolds. This allows viewers an up, close, personal, and uninterrupted view of how their heroes go about the game and gives a sense of feeling closer to them right in between the match. This will be accompanied by more camera angles that viewers can choose from.

    The Insiders feed is built on JioCinema’s core proposition of making the TATA IPL’s entertainment more accessible to viewers by giving them a peek into unheard tales, anecdotes, and conversations from dressing rooms, narrated by JioCinema’s iconic empanelled experts who until recently rubbed shoulders with current players across different teams. Fans will be able to get into the player’s mind from the expert’s viewpoint and understand the thought process behind the gameplay as live-action plays out on screen.

    The Hangout feed will give fans a light-hearted and quirky take on the perennially competitive league through new-age content creators and popular stand-up comics like Angad Singh, Vipul Goyal, Aaditya Kulshreshth, and Shashi Dhiman among others. This feed will present quintessential TATA IPL action that is expected to draw first-time viewers and non-sports audiences and augment the league’s viewership. 

  • JioCinema introduces brands for JioCinema brand spotlight at TATA IPL 2024 Opener

    JioCinema introduces brands for JioCinema brand spotlight at TATA IPL 2024 Opener

    Mumbai: JioCinema, the official streaming platform for the TATA IPL 2024, has announced the first-ever set of brands that will feature on its newly launched advertiser innovation, JioCinema Brand Spotlight. Charged by Thums Up, Parle, Britannia, Dalmia Cements, and PayZapp by HDFC Bank will debut their respective campaigns for the TATA IPL 2024 during the first five overs of the opening game between MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, on March 22. As the nation aggregates to catch the start of the opening season of the TATA IPL, the five brands will be a part of this golden moment by showcasing exclusive spots of their campaign within the first five overs of the match on the opening day.

    In addition to having a priority spot to launch their engaging TATA IPL opening day blitz, JioCinema Brand Spotlight will facilitate a first-of-its-kind marketer’s moment for the five brands with the campaign makers and the brand custodians sharing exclusive insights and stories about how the campaign and brand film showcased on JioCinema Brand spotlight was conceived and built. These campaign stories will be available to viewers on an exclusive JioCinema brand spotlight rail on the JioCinema App.

    Brand Spotlight is one among a slew of innovations for advertisers around the upcoming TATA IPL season. The packages and offerings have been specifically designed to help advertisers across the board, no matter what the objective, category, and scale of business. Each proposition from JioCinema has been carefully curated to enhance the brand’s proposition and increase the potential of scale and targeting possibilities they can extract digitally.

    “The mood around the opening day of the TATA IPL has evolved over the years to become a moment where fans don’t just anticipate thrilling match action but also eagerly look forward to brands putting their best creative foot forward,” said Viacom18 Sports head of revenue, Anup Govindan. “With digital, it is possible to harness this euphoria into an actionable moment for advertisers and that is where Brand Spotlight comes to the fore. We are delighted to have Charged by Thums-Up, Parle Products, Britannia, Dalmia Cements, and PayZapp by HDFC Bank on board with us. The first five overs of the TATA IPL 2024 are going to be historical with the spotlight on these brands, and we believe Brand Spotlight is going to be an anchor offering in the coming years.”

    Speaking about partnering with JioCinema, HDFC Bank group head, chief marketing officer and head direct to direct-to-consumer business Ravi Santhanam said, “Our PayZapp campaign for the TATA IPL is built on the idea that customers can pay anyone, anyhow, anywhere and we felt this proposition synchronises almost perfectly with JioCinema’s vision for digital, which is to make digital omnipresent. Introducing this communication right at the beginning of the season under Brand Spotlight is going to help us give it the platform it deserves by taking it far and wide in the country.”

    Speaking about partnering with JioCinema, chief marketing officer, Britannia Amit Doshi said, “With Hungry For Gold, we aspire to instil pride in every Indian and inspire a nation hungry for victory in all areas. By partnering with six remarkable athletes and integrating an engaging gaming promotion, we are not only showcasing their incredible journeys but also fostering a deeper appreciation for various sports. We are excited to partner with JioCinema for Brand Spotlight to make this message reach millions.”

    On being part of the Brand Spotlight stable, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd COO Sameer Nagpal said, “We have tried to make our communication highly distinctive from the norms of the cement category. We have a differentiated consumer proposition and have presented it in a unique style using engaging visuals and music, along with one of the most unique stars of this generation, Ranveer Singh. We truly feel that JioCinema’s Brand Spotlight will do justice to our creative efforts by giving our campaign the kind of reach and scale that only TATA IPL on JioCinema can.”

    Commenting on being a part of Brand Spotlight, Parle Products VP Mayank Shah said, “The objective behind our TATA IPL 2024 campaign is to further our cause started in 2017-18 of positioning ‘Parle’ from ‘House of Brands’ to a ‘Branded House’ while building an emotional connect with consumers. Our TVC is packaged to deliver the message with classic elements of wit and humour but underscores the core thought of positioning Parle as a top corporate brand. We took that finished product to JioCinema’s Brand Spotlight, as in addition to giving us unprecedented reach and customization options, the Brand Spotlight rail on the app is a great platform to take viewers behind the scenes to talk them through this campaign in a never-been-done-before manner.”

    Fans will be able to catch the latest season of the TATA IPL for free in 4K across 12 languages introducing Haryanvi for the first time, multi-cam options including the much-hyped Hero Cam, and many more fan-engagement features including Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan.

     

  • Ocean Sharma becomes the first e-sports caster to join IPL 2024

    Ocean Sharma becomes the first e-sports caster to join IPL 2024

    Mumbai: Ocean Sharma, a prominent caster of the country’s e-sports industry, has been appointed as the national presenter for the highly anticipated season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 by Star Sports. This  move marks a historic moment in e-sports and sports broadcasting, as Ocean becomes the first Indian Esports caster to join the world’s premier franchise cricket league.

    Ocean is widely recognised within India’s Esports landscape for his extensive experience and expertise as a caster and game analyst. His notable achievements include casting for official Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) tournaments and global Esports events such as the PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2021: League – East, PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2021: Grand Finals, and PUBG Mobile Pro League – South Asia Spring 2022.

    For IPL 2024, Ocean will join hands with the league’s national presenters Mayanti Langer Binny, Jatin Sapru, Tanay Tiwari, Suren Sundaram and more to undertake various responsibilities as an anchor and reporter.

    Expressing his excitement about this groundbreaking role in the IPL, Sharma said, “As a passionate cricket fan, being appointed as the national presenter for IPL 2024 is truly a monumental moment for me. It presents an incredible opportunity to bridge the gap between Esports and mainstream sports in India, and I am honored to be at its forefront. With my experience, I am committed to delivering an unparalleled experience for all viewers and cannot wait to kickstart this innings of my career.”

    Having enjoyed an illustrious career in Esports, this will not be Ocean’s first stint in the country’s sporting landscape as he has previously showcased his casting talent in high-profile tournaments such as Ultimate Kho Kho and Pro Kabaddi League.

    “We are thrilled to see Ocean making strides in India’s sports industry after establishing himself as a notable figure in Esports. His journey is an inspiration for aspiring Esports enthusiasts, showcasing that the sector offers lucrative growth prospects in roles other than being a gamer as well. We are confident that his distinctive presenting skillset will enhance the excitement of IPL viewing for fans nationwide,” said Ocean’s business manager and Phiesi founder Ketan Singhal.

    Ocean’s unique content has established him as a distinguished figure in the Indian video gaming community with his Youtube channel comprising more than 858k subscribers and Instagram handle exceeding 450k followers. His inclusion in the IPL star cast is not only an individual achievement but also signifies a significant step forward in recognizing the growing influence of Esports in mainstream sports.
     

  • Adidas unveils home and away its for UEFA Euro 2024

    Adidas unveils home and away its for UEFA Euro 2024

    Mumbai: Ahead of UEFA Euro 2024, adidas today unveils the latest series of technical performance kits for seven of its biggest federations. Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Scotland, Spain, and Wales receive reimagined home and away designs – uniting fans and players via celebrations of both traditional and modern identity, as teams compete for the coveted Henri Delaunay Cup.

    Each of the jerseys are built to inspire a sense of pride and belonging, blending traditional elements, with modern style to create something truly new for this next generation of players. Building on the canvas of the jersey – a symbol of hope and unity – the adidas design team focused on delivering something that gives an unexpected, and fresh perspective from what has come before, while remaining respectful and true to their football heritage.

    These concepts are explored in varying ways throughout the collection, including:

    ●    Fresh application of national colours and exploration into new bolder hues – for example, the rarely seen ‘Tricolore’ for Italy’s home and away shirts, and a vibrant never-before seen colour scheme for Germany’s away kit

    ●    Recoding traditional patterns and applying them in fresh ways. This includes a modern interpretation of tartan in the Scotland shirt, and patterns reflecting the carnation – the national flower – which adorn the base of Spain’s home and away kits

    ●    Introducing fresh symbols to traditional federation wear, such as the Belgium away kit which celebrates the nation’s rich art and design culture, specifically cartoonist, Hergé, and the comic character he is famously known for; Tintin. Inspired by Tintin’s iconic outfit, a royal nod is found on the back of the collar with a golden crown that glimmers against a bright blue backdrop

    ●    Across the collection, a blend of dynamic shapes and colours express the jubilation and hope that fans and players share ahead of, and during, a major tournament

    adidas VP- Product and Design Sam Handy said, ‘The national shirt is the visual symbol that binds a nation together, as its team looks to deliver moments for fans that will last a lifetime. With this, the shirt represents so much more than sport – it represents unity, it represents a passion that connects us, and it represents an identity that is celebrated at its highest during an international tournament. We bind this emotion and energy by nodding to the intrinsic DNA of each federation, topped with bold new looks, which fans can wear proudly, both in the stands and on the streets this summer’.”

    Crafted for performance and to provide world class players with the confidence to play under pressure, the lightweight jerseys feature the latest in adidas technology and were created in close collaboration with each federation.

    Each jersey includes either HEAT.RDY technology, optimised to keep players feeling comfortable, or AEROREADY technology, sweat-wicking or absorbent materials that keep players feeling dry. Lighter crests and additional mesh panels are also applied, helping improve airflow and comfort, to help players focus on the game at hand. 

  • Ultimate Table Tennis welcomes SG Sports as Ahmedabad franchise owner

    Ultimate Table Tennis welcomes SG Sports as Ahmedabad franchise owner

    Mumbai: Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) has added an eighth franchise to the league’s roster with the announcement of the SG Sports and Entertainment (SGSE) Pvt. Ltd. -owned unit that will represent the vibrant city of Ahmedabad.

    The franchise-based league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), continues to grow as SGSE– a strategic arm of the APL Apollo Group, comes on board after a successful fourth edition in July last year. The team will be known as Ahmedabad SG Pipers.

    “We are delighted to welcome SGSE and the APL Apollo Group to the UTT family. The success of Indian table tennis stars on the international circuit and the popularity of UTT among players and fans has only made the league stronger over the years. UTT is committed to promoting the game of table tennis and this expansion marks an exciting chapter in the league’s growth as it will help us spread the game to a new region,” UTT co-promoters Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani said in a joint comment.

    With multiple Grand Slam champion Mahesh Bhupathi as their CEO, SG Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd focuses on supporting and nurturing sporting talent in the country. The company has already been part of the chess and tennis league, and will now look to contribute to the growth of Indian table tennis with their association with UTT.

    “Ultimate Table Tennis is the premier table tennis competition in the nation and they are able to showcase both homegrown and international talent at the elite level. We at SGSE are excited that we have the opportunity to participate in the growth of the sport. I am sure the presence of our team – Ahmedabad will make the upcoming edition of the league more competitive and entertaining,” said CEO, SGSE Mahesh Bhupathi.

    Ahmedabad SG Pipers will join Jaipur Patriots, who entered the UTT fray in August 2023. The two franchises will make their debuts when the league gets underway for its fifth season later this year. Bengaluru Smashers, Chennai Lions, Dabang Delhi TTC, Goa Challengers, Puneri Paltan Table Tennis and U Mumba TT are the other six teams in the league.

    Launched in 2017 with an aim to revolutionise table tennis in India, UTT brings the world’s top paddlers to India and offers an unparalleled experience not just for the players but also for the fans. The league has witnessed Indian players registering some of the most significant victories of their careers and carrying their confidence onto the international circuit. The Indian team’s historic qualification at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games is a testament to the growth of the sport in the country. India’s men’s and women’s teams recently qualified for the Olympic Games through the world team rankings for the first time since the event was included at the 2008 Olympics.

  • Punjab Kings onboards Dream11 as title ]artner for IPL 2024

    Punjab Kings onboards Dream11 as title ]artner for IPL 2024

    Mumbai:  The Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings announced that Dream11, the fantasy sports platform with over 200 million users, has been onboarded as the title sponsor for the franchise for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. As part of the agreement between the fantasy sports platform and the franchise, the Dream11 logo will be prominently displayed on the front of the Punjab Kings jerseys during TATA IPL 2024, which kicks off on 23rd March with an encounter against the Delhi Capitals at the New PCA Stadium, Mullanpur.

    KPH Dream Cricket Ltd CEO Satish Menon said, “It is an incredible honour for us to onboard Dream11 as the title partner for the coming edition. They have reinvented the world of sports and fan engagement. Dream11 has been responsible for spreading the game’s reach across different regions of the country through innovative means of fan involvement. We are looking forward to delivering a fantastic experience on and off the field to our fans and the Dream11 user base.”

    Speaking on the association, Dream Sports chief marketing officer Vikrant Mudaliar said, “We are thrilled to elevate our partnership to assume the role of principal sponsor for Punjab Kings. This association will enable Punjab Kings fans and Dream11’s growing user base of over 200 million to have a better-than-ever-before fantasy cricket experience during the upcoming cricket season.”

  • Ultimate Table Tennis welcomes SG Sports and Entertainment Pvt Ltd as owner of eighth franchise from Ahmedabad

    Ultimate Table Tennis welcomes SG Sports and Entertainment Pvt Ltd as owner of eighth franchise from Ahmedabad

    Mumbai: Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) has added an eighth franchise to the league’s roster with the announcement of the SG Sports and Entertainment (SGSE) Pvt. Ltd. -owned unit that will represent the vibrant city of Ahmedabad.

    The franchise-based league, promoted by Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani under the auspices of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), continues to grow as SGSE– a strategic arm of the APL Apollo Group, comes on board after a successful fourth edition in July last year. The team will be known as Ahmedabad SG Pipers.

    “We are delighted to welcome SGSE and the APL Apollo Group to the UTT family. The success of Indian table tennis stars on the international circuit and the popularity of UTT among players and fans has only made the league stronger over the years. UTT is committed to promoting the game of table tennis and this expansion marks an exciting chapter in the league’s growth as it will help us spread the game to a new region,” UTT co-promoters Niraj Bajaj and Vita Dani said in a joint comment.

    With multiple Grand Slam champion Mahesh Bhupathi as their CEO, SG Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, focuses on supporting and nurturing sporting talent in the country. The company has already been part of the chess and tennis league, and will now look to contribute to the growth of Indian table tennis with their association with UTT.

    “Ultimate Table Tennis is the premier table tennis competition in the nation and they are able to showcase both homegrown and international talent at the elite level. We at SGSE are excited that we have the opportunity to participate in the growth of the sport. I am sure the presence of our team – Ahmedabad will make the upcoming edition of the league more competitive and entertaining,” said Bhupathi.

    Ahmedabad SG Pipers will join Jaipur Patriots, who entered the UTT fray in August 2023. The two franchises will make their debuts when the league gets underway for its fifth season later this year. Bengaluru Smashers, Chennai Lions, Dabang Delhi TTC, Goa Challengers, Puneri Paltan Table Tennis and U Mumba TT are the other six teams in the league.

  • Star Sports unveils epic promo featuring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff for Tata IPL 2024 opener: CSK vs RCB

    Star Sports unveils epic promo featuring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff for Tata IPL 2024 opener: CSK vs RCB

    Mumbai: Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the TATA IPL 2024, has set the stage on fire with the release of its promo film for the highly anticipated season opener where the reigning champions Chennai Super Kings gear up to face off against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in what promises to be a thrilling clash of IPL’s biggest heroes. Featuring in the promo-film are Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, who will also star in the upcoming film ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’, set to hit theatres this EID, April 2024.

    In this fun banter between Kumar and Shroff, the viewers  will see them lending their support to the two dynamic rivals, with Kumar rallying behind Dhoni and the CSK squad, while Shroff places his bets on Kohli and the dynamic RCB side.

     

     

    Speaking about the promo film, Kumar said, “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is all about ACTION and ENTERTAINMENT and so is TATA IPL 2024. It was exciting to shoot a fun banter promo with my Chote Miyan Tiger Shroff and bring out our chemistry from the film to the Main Stage campaign for Star Sports.”

    Shroff added, “I am excited and had fun shooting the promo with my Bade Miyan, Akshay Kumar for TATA IPL 2024, IPL is not just a sport it’s about bringing the world together through the love of the game. Hope you guys enjoy the IPL too with your Bade and Chote Miyan”