Category: Sports

Mumbai: LaLiga Football Schools (LLFS) in partnership with India on Track (IOT) conducted the ‘National Train the Trainer’ program for 25 shortlisted coaches from across the country in Mumbai recently. The initiative is part of LLFS’ vision to develop key stakeholders within the Indian football pyramid. Covering aspects of session plans, nutrition, hydration and methodology, the immersion event was divided into classroom & turf sessions.

Led by LaLiga Football Schools India technical director Miguel Casal & Senior coach Saul Vazquez specialising in sporting projects at LaLiga, the two-day event provided invaluable insights into football training methodology, development pathways, and game patterns; Along with a glimpse of the coveted LaLiga trophy, displayed at the venue.

Speaking at the event, LaLiga Football Schools India technical director Miguel Casal said, “Football coaches are architects and amplifiers of the football pyramid, and their development is fundamental to the overall development of the game. We believe that the National Train the Trainer program will elevate the overall standard of football in the country, paving the way for a brighter and more competitive future for Indian football”.

Senior coach Saul Vazquez specialising in sporting projects at LaLiga added, “Empowering football coaches is a crucial step toward building a nurturing football ecosystem. With these workshops we aim to fulfill three objectives; Evaluate the progress of current coaches, build a network for shared learning between participants, and equip coaches with the latest tools and techniques in player development & session management. Continuing our role as facilitators within the pyramid, we are confident of our methodology & impact.”

Alongside IOT, The LaLiga Football Schools Project was initiated in 2018 and has since impacted over 10,000 students in the country. The program is developed and administered by UEFA pro-licensed coaches from Spain and provides access to global football methodology and technical training to students aged between nine to 15 years all over India. Furthermore, the program is also designed to leave a deeper impact on the grassroots level through training of Indian football coaches and administrators of the program.

Mumbai: After being number one on the viewership charts for the last 52 weeks, the country’s top english news channel CNN-News18 has decided to hike its advertising rates.  

The revised rates will apply to all existing and prospective clients advertising on the channel.  

This premium adjustment is a step taken after a year of a remarkable achievement in the English news genre, characterised by unparalleled news coverage and insightful analysis of the national and global events.

Commenting on the decision to hike ad rates, Network18 business cluster CEO Smriti Mehra said, “CNN-News18 is proud of its unparalleled leadership in the English news space and remains committed to providing nuanced analysis and objective reporting on stories from India and around the world. In order to deliver world-class programming with an enhanced advertising experience for our clients, we will be taking some bold steps. As we increase our ad rates, we will offer innovative solutions to help advertisers connect with their target audience in a nuanced manner.”

“The year ahead will see some of the key states going to polls, the eighteenth G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in New Delhi in September, the cricket World Cup in October and November and finally the general elections in 2024. The upcoming year holds a lot of promise for the TV news genre and CNN-News18 would continue to add value for its advertisers. We thank all our existing advertisers who have put their faith in us and also look forward to welcoming new clients,” she added.

As the country gets into the election mode with upcoming elections in several key states and the general elections in 2024, the next 12 months will be action packed with differentiated programming, analyses and in-depth coverage of all events on CNN-News18.  

The channel is committed to creating a greater impact for advertisers by offering various innovative solutions such as branded content, Non-FCT elements, and other highly customised ad formats that help advertisers connect with their target audience.

The channel has planned a comprehensive coverage across the length and breadth of the country for the elections programming. This will commence with the state elections scheduled in Karnataka in May 2023, assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in January 2024, leading up to the General elections in April-May 2024.

The channel’s distinctive programming, particularly during prime time, which is a confluence of analysis, debate, and objective reporting, has won the hearts and minds of the viewers. With the most credible set of anchors delivering facts over noise, the channel is setting new benchmarks of news reportage in the country.

Source: BARC India | Mkt: India | TG: 2+ | Period: AVG Wk 17’22-16’23 | English News Channels | AMA 000’s

Mumbai: JioCinema, the digital rights holder of the TATA Indian Premier League, will invite fans to the TATA IPL Fan Parks at Vadodara, Kurnool, and Bardhaman on 29 April, and Jalgaon, Aligarh, Varanasi, Karnal, and Thoothukudi on 30 April.

JioCinema will live-stream the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans game at 3:30 PM and Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match at 7:30 PM at the Vadodara, Kurnool, and Bardhaman TATA IPL Fan Parks. The Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings game at 3:30 PM and Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals match at 7:30 PM will be live streamed at the Jalgaon, Aligarh, Varanasi, Karnal, and Thoothukudi TATA IPL fan parks. Gates will open from 1:30 PM onwards on both days.

Access to the TATA IPL Fan Parks will be free of cost and fans can enjoy the games live-streamed via the JioCinema app on giant LED screens. The fan parks will be a great family experience to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air along with an array of exciting offerings for people of all ages including a dedicated family zone, kids zone, food & beverages, and the JioCinema experience zone.

Earlier this month, JioCinema introduced Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan, a new contest that gives fans a chance to win one car every match enhancing their experience while watching the TATA IPL vis-à-vis passively watching the league on legacy platforms.

JioCinema’s coverage of the TATA IPL has already witnessed several records crumbling since the season opener. The Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore match on April 17 registered a peak concurrency of 2.4 Cr., the highest for the TATA IPL this season.

Mumbai: Disney Star has consolidated its dominance by surpassing 40 crore viewers for the live broadcast of the first 29 matches of TATA IPL 2023, recording a growth of 24 per cent in TVR compared to the last edition. The reach garnered for the live broadcast of the first 29 matches is also 3.7 crores higher than the reach of the entire 2022 edition. Disney Star has also received the highest-ever reach across all editions of IPL in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, UP and MP for the live broadcast of the first 29 matches. 

The broadcaster has also witnessed a staggering growth among kids (2 to 14 years) across all editions of IPL, a big fillip for brands targeting the consumer cohort. In addition, 9.32 Crores kids tuned in to watch the live broadcast of the first 29 games, an increase of 58.7 per cent over the last edition. Over 25 crore premium audiences from NCCS A & NCCS B tuned in to the live broadcast on the Disney Star Network, for the first 29 matches. The reach garnered by these two consumer cohorts is the highest across 15 years of IPL, including the covid years. This achievement showcases the growing popularity of the League and the broadcaster’s ability to engage audiences across age groups with high-quality content.

Disney Star head sports Sanjog Gupta said, “IPL on Disney Star continues to register new highs. Competitive matches and strong individual performances powered by Star Sports’ world-class programming, key partnerships, and sustained marketing efforts to recruit audiences have sustained the upward trajectory of viewership. The highest-ever viewership in the Hindi-speaking markets, premium audiences (NCCS A) and Kids’ demographic (2-14 years) shows that our #BetterTogether campaign, seeking to galvanize familial and community viewing, has hit the mark. We are thankful to the millions of fans who have made Disney Star their preferred destination for a seamless and enhanced experience of IPL”.

Disney Star has also achieved the highest-ever reach in Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM). Over 27.3 crore viewers tuned in to watch the live broadcast, marking a historic moment in IPL. Furthermore, Star Sports 1 (Hindi) has also emerged as the number one channel for the third consecutive week, making it a go-to destination for cricket enthusiasts across the nation. The high-octane match between CSK and RCB was watched by an incredible 5.2 crore concurrent viewers on television, the second highest in the history of IPL. 

In addition to the TV viewership records, Disney Star has reached new heights in high-definition (HD) broadcasting. The network achieved the highest-ever HD channel reach, with an incredible 6.6 crore viewers tuning in to the HD broadcast. This number is three times higher compared to last year, demonstrating the growing preference for high-definition sports viewing.

With on-ground experiences like the IPL Trophy Tour, the Fan Bus, #MySocietyStadium, and The Incredible School Quiz (India’s largest-ever school quiz) along with the #AskStar initiative have given fans an opportunity to forge a deeper connection with the marquee tournament and increase the overall engagement for the league. The exclusive association with META Influencers has also paved the way to leverage the power of social media and bring a fresh perspective to the IPL, providing an engaging and interactive experience for the fans. 

Disney Star’s fan-centric approach and innovations in broadcasting technology have earned it the plaudits of fans and the broadcaster is focused on providing an unmatched and compelling viewing experience to all who tune in to watch the TATA IPL 2023 on television.

Mumbai: Just over a week after announcing the ten car winners on Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan, JioCinema announced 12 more winners who won a car each for TATA IPL 2023 matches played between 18 & 26 April. Last night’s battle between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders found the latest Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan Car Winner as Adarsh Jiji from Ernakulam, Kerala claimed the contest’s top prize.

Gujarat found its first winner as Mayur Natvarbhai Patel from Ahmedabad won the car during the clash of champions between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians on 25 April. The 24 April tussle between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals saw Mumbai resident Ashish Kantilal Patel winning a car.  

Ajinkya Rahane’s 29-ball 71 runs on 23 April was not the only adrenaline-pumping highlight of the day. TATA IPL’s super Sunday saw Jitendra Kumar Kushwaha based out of Surajpur in Chhattisgarh, and Venkateshwarlu Mudideni of Hyderabad take home a super prize of one car each, during the Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals games, respectively. 

Similarly, during Saturday’s doubleheader on April 22 where Punjab Kings took on Mumbai Indians in a 400 runs game, Gujarat Titans squared off against Lucknow Super Giants in their backyard, Elangbam Wangoiningthou Meitei from Thouwal in Manipur, and Jamuna of Delhi won a car each, respectively. 

Sombhu Roy of Asansol in West Bengal bagged the contest’s grand prize during Sunrisers Hyderabad’s home game against four-time champions Chennai Super Kings on 21 April. 

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals on 20 April turned lucky for 18-year-old Satyam Pratyush residing in Chatra, Jharkhand where he won a car, while Akash Deep from Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh won along with Royal Challengers Bangalore when they played Punjab Kings, on the same day. 

Viren Jabali Obhan from Mumbai won a car by playing the contest on April 19 during the Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals match. Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18 ended in a win not just for TATA IPL’s most successful team but also for Abhishek Saikia from Tezpur in Assam, as he took home a car during the game. 

Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan is aimed to enhance the viewer’s experience while watching the TATA IPL on JioCinema vis-à-vis passively watching the league on legacy platforms. The contest offers viewers prizes like smartwatches, Bluetooth speakers, Bluetooth neckbands, and wireless earphones, and a chance to win one car every match, among other prizes. 

Viewers need to hold the phone in portrait mode. A chat box will open at the bottom of the screen where the question appears before every over along with four options. Viewers who give the most correct answers during the match, stand a chance to win the car.

Mumbai: Sony Sports Network (SSN), India’s leading sports broadcaster, has initiated the 150-day countdown for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. The primary objective of this endeavor is to instill a sense of national pride in the Indian athletes and garner unwavering support from the country as they participate in the games.

In furtherance of this goal, Sony Sports Network will telecast a special interview – Phir Se Hum Honge Kamyab with Raja Randhir Singh – Asian Games Special. The show will feature former Olympian and Arjuna Awardee & Olympic Council of Asia acting president Raja Randhir Singh narrating his own success story, paying tribute to the athletes, and emphasizing the crucial role of federations in ensuring success at multi-disciplinary events. Additionally, Singh will shed light on the level of preparedness of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Games.

Following the success of the ‘Hum Honge Kamyab’ campaign in galvanizing the nation to support the Indian contingent at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the broadcaster has launched another motivational initiative. The ‘Hum Hai, Zidd pe Sawaar, Iss Baar, Sau Paar, Phir Se, Hum Honge Kamyaab!’ campaign aims to inspire the Indian contingent to achieve an exceptional feat of securing 100+ medals at the 2022 Asian Games.

Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer – distribution & international business and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “The ‘Hum Hai, Zidd pe Sawaar, Iss Baar, Sau Paar, Phir Se, Hum Honge Kamyaab!’ campaign kickstarts the 150 days to go countdown for the games. With a total of 69 medal, the 2018 edition of the Games was instrumental in shaping the future of Indian sports. Our campaign aims to motivate athletes at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 to take a step further and surpass the Hundred-medal mark.”

Singh said, “India’s meteoric rise at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was a testament to our resilience. In 2021, the ‘Hum Honge Kamyaab!’ slogan solidified our belief in a bright future of Indian sports, and in the year 2023, the nation will rise with a new hope – Hum Hai, Zidd pe Sawaar, Iss Baar, Sau Paar, Phir Se, Hum Honge Kamyaab!”

Mumbai: The wait for arm-wrestling fans is finally over as Asia’s biggest arm-wrestling promotion, Pro Panja League, has announced the dates for the highly anticipated first season. Starting 28 July 2023 to 13 August 2023, the 17-day sporting event will feature 180 arm wrestlers, divided into six teams and the adrenaline-pumping action will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Ten 1 and Sony Sports Ten 1 HD channels. 

Pro Panja League, the brainchild of Bollywood actors and producers Parvin Dabas and Preeti Jhangiani, will feature categories for Men, Women and Specially abled arm wrestlers. The arm-wrestlers competing in the first season have been selected after qualifying at an intense Ranking Tournament that was held in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh in July last year.

Expressing his delight, Pro Panja League co-owner Dabas said, “The feedback to our partnership with Sony Sports Network has been stupendous. Arm Wrestling and Combat Sports fans are going to be treated to some prime-time arm-wrestling action for the first time on Sony Sports Network in July and August which have traditionally been very strong months for the Pro Panja League. We cannot wait to serve up some strong summer fare for the sports fans.”

Originally launched in 2020 with a mega event at Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi, Pro Panja has become a massive craze among the fans on social media with two editions of Ranking Tournaments, multiple Mega Matches between Arm-Wrestling Champions, and several promotional events across the country. With events having taken place across Gwalior Fort, Gateway of India, Mumbai, and Majestic Pride Casino Boat in Goa, Pro Panja is also opening a doorway for Sports Tourism. 

On the first season launch of Pro Panja League, Sony Pictures Networks chief revenue officer, distribution & international business and head – sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “We are glad to have the Pro Panja League onboard with us for its inaugural season. These are exciting times for fans of arm-wrestling across the country who will get to witness athletes putting on an exhibition of their physical strengths. Arm wrestling in India in a professional capacity has great potential and we aim to make it a household name in the world of sports.”

For their tremendous work in the promotion of Arm Wrestling, Dabas and Jhangiani have already received several accolades from India and across the globe, with the latter also recently being named the President of the Maharashtra Arm Wrestling Association and the former having received the Golden Medal from Dzeenbek Mukambetov which is the highest recognition from the World Arm Wrestling Federation.

Mumbai: Strengthening business ties between India & Spain, LaLiga alongside a selected group of entities participated in an exclusive ‘Business Meeting’ co-organised by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the Secretary of State for Trade through ICEX, the Confederación Española de Organizaciones Empresariales (CEOE) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

LaLiga India managing director Jose Antonio Cachaza and La Liga Global Network delegate, India Aakriti Vohra – participated in the business gathering presided over by the Minister of State for Trade at the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism Xiana Méndez, and Ministry of Commerce and Industry special secretary – logistics Sumita Dawra.   

Additionally, LaLiga is a founding member of the luncheon organized by the Indo-Spanish Chamber of Commerce. The invitation was also extended to around 20 premier Spanish companies with operations in India.

The business gathering reconfirmed the robust connections that bind the institutions and corporate sectors of both nations. This commercial assembly served not only as a catalyst for collaborative efforts between business entities but also as a chance to further explore fresh avenues for potential partnerships that benefit both nations.

Mumbai: Star Sports, the official television broadcaster of the TATA IPL 2023, is taking the world of sports broadcasting by storm with their innovative use of hologram technology. The broadcaster’s partnership with cricketer Steve Smith had been a major talking point among viewers and fans, and his appearance on the Star Sports show ‘Cricket Live’ through a realistic hologram had sent shockwaves throughout the cricketing world. Smith was the number one trending topic on social media after his second appearance on the show for the opening week of the tournament.

Speaking on his holographic teleportation, Smith said, “It was brilliant to be there. It’s amazing what technology can do now. It was great to be in the studio talking to the guys about cricket and the IPL, so I really enjoyed it and it was good fun.”

Through the magic of technology, Smith was teleported from his home in Sydney to the Star Sports studio in Mumbai in a matter of seconds, providing viewers with an immersive and lifelike experience. The holographic teleportation technology used by Star Sports is state-of-the-art and has impressed fans and critics alike with its seamless and realistic rendering of Smith’s image.

Speaking to Star Sports, official television broadcaster of the TATA IPL 2023, former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta spoke on how astonished he was when Steve Smith made his appearance on ‘Cricket Live’, “We were all sitting there, looking at the TV, the pre-match show, I was like okay he’s here, along with Finch and the other guys. I thought we’d catch up, and when the show got over, I was looking for him, where is Smithy? And I asked everybody where he is and they said he is in Sydney. For the first 10 seconds I didn’t believe them. I said ‘Nah you’re lying, it’s impossible.”

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch said, “If you look at the screen, it looks like 100 per cent he’s standing there. So it was a bit of fun, he went in for a hi-five, I went in for a hug!”

Mumbai: Smriti Mandhana, the ace Indian women’s cricket team opener, has been ranked among the top 10 athletes in the world by sponsorship value on social media, according to a recent study released by Sportico and KORE.  

KORE measured more than 19 million posts across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Weibo, and VK of various athletes across leagues and teams to quantify the sponsorship value on social media through its adjusted ad value (AAV) metric, which factors in multiple elements like the platform, engagement, positioning, clarity and promotional quality of imagery and text in social media posts.

The detailed study determined that with over 7.7 million followers on Instagram alone, Smriti has become a sought-after brand ambassador for several leading companies. Smriti is currently working with some of the top brands like Hero MotoCorp, Nike, Red Bull, Gulf Oil, Herbalife, and Hyundai to name a few. Social media performance across her digital platforms saw more than 61 million engagements in 2022 and the swashbuckling batter has a combined following of more than 14.8 million, securing the ninth spot for her among all female athletes in the world, making her the only Women cricketer to be in top ten athletes. The list also features some of the biggest names in the world of women’s sports like the all-time tennis great Serena Williams, freestyle skier Eileen Gu, and American Motorsport racing driver Hailie Deegan to name a couple who have all been working with some of the top brands like Nike, Louis Vuitton, Gatorade, Boss, Tiffany & Co etc.  

Baseline Ventures managing director & co-founder Tuhin Mishra who exclusively manages Mandana said, “Mandhana’s success on social media has helped to raise the profile of women’s cricket in India and around the world. Her strong performances on the field and her engaging personality off the field have made her a role model for young girls aspiring to make a mark in the world of sports. We expect these numbers to swell even further as we believe it adds more value for the brands that partner with Smriti over the years.”  

Mandana has been a prominent figure in the Indian cricketing circuit for several years and has represented the country in several international tournaments. She has won several accolades for her performances, including the Arjuna Award in 2019, Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2019 & 2021, the Wisden Woman Cricketer of the Year 2019, and ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2018. Most recently the Indian Opener was also sold to RCB for USD 413K, the highest bid for any player in the first edition of the Women’s Premier League 2023.