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Tag: APOS

  • The future belongs to creator-led franchises: James Murdoch

    The future belongs to creator-led franchises: James Murdoch

    New Delhi: Creator-led franchises will be more powerful and more profitable in the years to come if they can take a little more risk and own their IPs, said James Murdoch former chief executive officer of 21st Century Fox and now the founder & CEO of private holding company Lupa Systems.

    As the streaming war rages on, Murdoch said it will put a lot of pressure on the content creators, leading to a huge demand for their services in near future. “The real question is what the creative output is going to look like in these conglomerates. There will be more value for creators in the future, not just in terms of selling for a high price and on a work for hire basis,” he detailed while delivering the keynote address at the annual APOS conference which began virtually on Tuesday.

    According to Murdoch, author ownership will become common, as more creators would not want to sell their work forever and a day.

    Talking about the Indian market, he noted that while some multinationals may be frustrated by bureaucracy or having the wrong local partners, ultimately India is a transparent marketplace, not very top-down but driven by ideas and entrepreneurs, and a consumer economy that is going to grow for a long time.

    “I see a lot of opportunities there, especially when you get into towns and villages where distribution revolution is most profound. Digital connectivity will open vast opportunities for society, logistics, education and it is going to be exciting for entrepreneurs as well as customers if done right,” he said. “The broader media sector is continuing to grow, but it is going to be a chaotic and tumultuous few years in terms of how it shapes in India. There is cutthroat competition in down streaming, complexities of legacy distributions, it is a very disaggregated production environment. But it will be interesting.”

    The one-time scion exited his family's media empire to found his own holding company Lupa Systems in 2019. Early this year, he announced his new venture along with former chairman & CEO of Star India and president of Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific Uday Shankar, to explore technology and media opportunities in emerging markets.

    Highlighting how several big media companies have been seeking to scale to compete in the streaming environment, Murdoch said, the question is not if it's right to scale, but how many of these companies will be more profitable than they were in the past. “Avoiding the loss of value is great, but near survival does not create value. The downstream competition is going to be intense for a long time whether it's Amazon or Netflix. If you try to compete with the mass market, you have to have an amazing user experience and lots of good programming,” he added.

    On founding Lupa Systems in 2019, Murdoch said he wanted to explore areas of long-term consequences. “The more exciting opportunity was to do something entrepreneurial with a small team, but also focus on future questions, especially with all legacy businesses adopting digital,” he shared.

    Run by the regional consultancy Media Partners Asia, the three-day conference kicked off on Tuesday, with the keynote address by Murdoch. Asia's influential media and entertainment industry conference is traditionally organised in Indonesia, but is being held virtually this year due to pandemic restrictions.

  • MPA announces launch of APOS 2020 Virtual Series

    MPA announces launch of APOS 2020 Virtual Series

    MUMBAI: APOS, the defining voice and global platform for the Asia Pacific media, telecoms and entertainment industry, is shifting online in 2020 with two virtual editions on 21-23 July and 1-3 September 2020.

    Created and curated by Media Partners Asia (MPA), the APOS 2020 Virtual Series provides unparalleled conversations, insights and connectivity across global markets, uniting diverse industry leaders and players focused on addressing the challenges and future catalysts for growth and investment across media, entertainment, sports, telecoms and technology sectors. 

    “Bringing together TMT industry leaders across continents to provide strategic vision online with interactive and on-demand functionality, the APOS 2020 Virtual Series will be a definitive experience and knowledge platform, enabling key stakeholders to navigate the future of video globally with a special focus on Asia Pacific,” said MPA executive director Vivek Couto.

    KEY TOPICS

    Asia's Path to Recovery

    The world faces major economic challenges in the midst of the pandemic. What does the path to recovery look like and which countries have momentum as economic activity resumes? What policies need to be emphasized?

    Investment Dynamics

    With depressed valuations, markets are signalling downgraded views of profitability. How true is this narrative and what structural changes do key players need to embrace? How can consolidation across key verticals and geographies generate synergies and value? What are the potential sources of funding?

    Priming the Advertising Pump

    After more than three months of Covid2019-induced hibernation, brands and advertisers are re-engaging with consumers. What are the new priorities for marketers and advertisers? How are advertisers working with media owners to engage with audiences to accelerate growth?

    Rise of The Streaming Economy

    1H 2020 has witnessed unprecedented growth in online video consumption. Does this represent a fundamental change in behaviour or is it temporary? Has this accelerated OTT scalability? Will libraries be sufficiently deep and the consumer experience positive enough to retain users? What specific strategies need to be implemented to see that gains are expanded?

    The Future of TV

    With viewership higher than any time in recent history, traditional TV retains vitality. But ad revenues are shrinking and, in most markets, subscription revenues are under pressure as existing business models are stressed. How are key players managing the present and positioning themselves for the future?

    Connectivity and The Bundle

    The demand for broadband is stronger than ever. What are the implications for fibre broadband and 5G in emerging markets? What is the potential for new bundles and partnerships to meet consumer entertainment needs?

    Live Sport's Future

    With shortened or eliminated play seasons, dramatically reduced sports attendance, TV rights obligations under review, and pay-TV sports bundles under pressure, many issues are compressing professional league profits. How are leagues responding? Will an incremental bridge to next year surface or is a more radical approach required?

    Opportunities in Online Gaming

    A multibillion-dollar industry with its own ecosystem, from IP creation to distribution, has seen unprecedented demand over the last 6 months. What does the future roadmap look like for the online gaming ecosystem and which parts of the value chain will benefit most?

    The Creative Economy

    With unparalleled demand for video content and social distancing norms stressing traditional production processes, how are the current challenges for content creation being navigated and what is online video’s evolving impact on storytelling?

    Premium Video Advertising

    While consumption has spiked, low realization rates plague the sector. What are the strategies to fuel the growth of AVOD as global social video platforms, connected platforms and local broadcasters expand the digital video advertising pie?

    Theatrical Trends

    Theatres have been closed. Hollywood tentpoles delayed while other films go direct to VOD. Social distancing is the new normal. How are producers and exhibitors responding to this unprecedented environment?

    Phygitisation and the Video-First Future of E-commerce

    E-commerce is pervasive. Short video apps are starting to look more like commercials, but e-commerce apps may also have to become video apps as the lines between the two start to blur. In parallel, new hybrid ‘phygital’ models are developing in large scale emerging markets.

    CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

    Over two series (alphabetical company order): 

    .          Allen Lew, Chairman, AIS

    ·         Somchai Lerstutiwong, CEO, AIS

    ·         Mike Hopkins, SEVP, Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios 

    ·         Henry Tan, Group CEO, Astro

    ·         Nicholas Swierzy, Group Chief Strategy Officer, Axiata

    ·         Sunil Taldar, MD, Bharti Airtel DTH India 

    ·         Kishore Moorjani, Senior MD, Blackstone Group 

    ·         Kevin Mayer, CEO, TikTokand COO, ByteDance

    ·         Manuel Rougeron, EVP, APAC, Canal+

    ·         Peter Chernin, Founder and CEO, Chernin Entertainment

    ·         Jean-Briac (JB)Perrette, President and CEO, Discovery Networks International

    ·         Alvin Sariaatjama, CEO, Emtek

    ·         Ajit Mohan, CEO, Facebook India

    ·         Scott Lorson, CEO, Fetch TV

    ·         Patrick Delany, CEO, Foxtel

    ·         Ernest Cu, President, Globe Telecom

    ·         Ashutosh Srivastava, CEO, APAC, GroupM

    ·         Gong Yu, CEO, iQiyi

    ·         Xianghua Yang, SVP, iQiyiand President, Overseas Business Group, iQiyi

    ·         Joy Lee, CEO, Kakao Page 

    ·         Andy Kaplan, Co-Founder, KC Global Media Entertainment

    ·         Jae-Ho Song, EVP, Korea Telecom

    ·         Johannes Larcher, MD, Digital and VOD Websites, MBC

    ·         HaryTanoesoedibjo, CEO, MNC Group 

    ·         Michael Nathanson, Partner, Moffett Nathanson 

    ·         Vivek Couto, Executive Director and Co-Founder, MPA

    ·         Andre Kudelski, Chairman and CEO, Nagra

    ·         Juliet Dongwha Kim, Director, Business Development (Korea), Netflix

    ·         Hugh Marks, CEO, Nine Entertainment 

    ·         Patrick Tillieux, CEO, OSN

    ·         Janice Lee, MD, PCCW Media 

    ·         Alfred S. Panlilio, CEO, Smart and Chief Revenue Officer, PLDT

    ·         Joseph Ravitch, Co-Founder and Partner, Raine 

    ·         Arthur Lang, CEO, International, Singtel 

    ·         Jared Grusd, Chief Strategy Officer, Snap 

    ·         Nana Murugesan, MD, International Markets, Snap

    ·         Joonpyo (JP) Lee, CEO and Managing Partner, Softbank Asia Ventures

    ·         Soo Hugh, Executive Producer and Writer

    ·         Peter Kaliaropoulos, CEO, StarHub 

    ·         Maaz Sheikh, CEO and Co-Founder, Starz Play Arabia

    ·         Jinhee Choi, CEO, Studio Dragon 

    ·         Hyun Park, MD, Studio Dragon International

    ·         Abe Peled, Chairman, Synamedia

    ·         Jamie Lin, President, Taiwan Mobile

    ·         Harit Nagpal, CEO, Tata Sky 

    ·         Dan Brody, MD, International, Tencent Investments

    ·         David Goldstein, CEO, Towers AP

    ·         Afshin Mohebbi, Senior Advisor, TPG     

    ·         Robert Bakish, President and CEO, ViacomCBS 

    ·         David Lynn, President and CEO, ViacomCBS Networks International

    ·         Nancy Dubuc, CEO, Vice Media

    ·         Uday Shankar, President, The Walt Disney Company APAC and Chairman, Star and Disney India 

    ·         Gerhard Zeiler, CRO, WarnerMediaand President, WarnerMediaInternational Networks

    ·         Stephanie McMahon, CMO, WWE

    ·         Punit Goenka, CEO, Zee Entertainment

  • BBC Studios, HOOQ India sign content deal for three British dramas

    BBC Studios, HOOQ India sign content deal for three British dramas

    MUMBAI: Indian viewers will get access to nearly 200 hours of top BBC dramas—Luther, Maigret and Wolf Hall—as a result of a content deal between BBC Studios and HOOQ India. The announcement was made on the second day of the Asia Pay TV Operators Summit (APOS) in Indonesia.

    “We have seen increasing interest in premium British dramas in India and are very pleased to be working with HOOQ to deliver quality British drama to meet this demand. We are confident that the programmes will be well received by HOOQ’s subscribers,” said BBC Studios SVP and GM of India and Southeast Asia Myleeta Aga.

    Programmes include BBC’s award-winning crime drama Luther, a gripping psychological thriller driven by an intellectually brilliant but emotionally impulsive cop John Luther (Idris Elba); Maigret, a drama rendition of Georges Simenon’s bestselling crime stories set in 1950s Paris, played by actor Rowan Atkinson; and Wolf Hall, an intimate portrait of Thomas Cromwell (Mark Rylance), the brilliant consigliere to King Henry VIII (Damian Lewis), as he manoeuvres the corridors of power at the Tudor court. 

    “We are always looking out for new content to entertain our subscribers and we are very excited to share with our Indian subscribers these award-winning and highly rated dramas from BBC Studios. Our subscribers have come to know and love the content that we constantly bring to them and we will continue to add more hours of exciting and amazing entertainment to keep India HOOQ’d!” HOOQ chief content officer Jennifer Batty said.

    Also Read :

    Zulfiqar Khan joins Hooq India as MD

    Hooq to maintain its Hollywood focus in India

  • Online video growth zooms across Asia with internet TV consumption: MPA

    Online video growth zooms across Asia with internet TV consumption: MPA

    MUMBAI: In a landscape still dominated by TV, the Asia Pacific online video industry seems to be on a path to double its share of video industry revenue ex-China from 9 per cent in 2017 to 20 per cent by 2023, according to analysis released today by Media Partners Asia (MPA).

    The findings will be presented at the APOS Summit (April 24-26), an event for industry leaders in media, telecoms and entertainment, in Bali, Indonesia.

    The analysis covers 12 markets: Australia, India, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and six key markets in Southeast Asia, with a focus on consumer and advertiser spend, content costs and market share across key clusters.

    MPA executive director Vivek Couto said: “The growth of subscription and ad-supported video services from Amazon, Facebook, Netflix and Google will propel these FANG companies to a combined 63 per cent share of Asia Pacific online video revenues ex-China by the end of 2018.

    Google-owned YouTube’s dominance is reflected by its 70 to 90 per cent slice of a large and fast-growing online video ad pie in Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia and India. In addition, Amazon and Netflix have scaled quickly with subscription video offerings in Australia, India and Japan but have a long way to go in Southeast Asia and Korea. There’s also a long runway for more growth in India.

    Encouragingly, local and regional players with strong entertainment and sports IP together with, in many instances, large TV businesses, have invested in online video platforms to grab a bigger market share. This is especially true in India, Korea and Japan, although Southeast Asia lags.

    The outlook remains in FANG’s favour, however, with its aggregate market share maintained at 62 per cent in 2023. Such scale will dramatically alter growth and investment dynamics across key markets. We see significant upside for local and regional media platforms with attractive IP and strong execution as well as the appetite and patience to invest over the long term across digital video.

    Excluded from MPA analysis are potential all-in premium offerings from Disney, 21st Century Fox and Time Warner, which are likely to start gaining traction at some point over the next five years as global media consolidation accelerates.

    FANG’s share could also be greater once Amazon Prime Video scales up in Australia and key markets across Southeast Asia. This is not yet included in the assumptions underlying MPA’s analysis.”

    Key highlights from the MPA survey include:

    FANG vs The Rest

    The growth of subscription and ad-supported video services from Amazon, Facebook, Netflix and Google will propel the FANG companies to a combined 63 per cent share of Asia Pacific online video revenues ex-China by the end of 2018. Google-owned YouTube’s dominance is reflected by its 70 to 90 per cent slice of a large and fast growing online video ad pie in Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia and India. Amazon and Netflix have scaled quickly with subscription video offerings in Australia, India and Japan but have a long way to go in Southeast Asia and Korea. There’s also a long runway for more growth in India.

    Encouragingly, local and regional players with strong entertainment and sports IP and, in many instances, large TV businesses, have invested in online video platforms to grab a bigger market share. This is especially true in India, Korea and Japan although Southeast Asia lags.    

    According to MPA, YouTube and Facebook combined will account for 72 per cent of online video advertising in Asia Pacific ex-China by 2023, versus 75 per cent at end-2018. In subscription-based online video, Amazon and Netflix’s combined share of the market should reach 35 per cent in 2018 and grow to 37 per cent by the end of 2023, although local and regional platforms are competing for and winning a share of incremental dollars in Australia, India, Japan, Korea and parts of Southeast Asia.

    Content Investment

    Total content investment in TV and online video across the 12 surveyed markets reached $23.1 billion in 2017, up 6 per cent year on year (yoy). MPA’s analysis includes movies, entertainment and sports. Content investment is expected to scale to $30.1 billion by 2023, a 5 per cent CAGR from 2018. Such growth is largely anchored to new dollars being spent across online video, which will account for 17 per cent of content investment by 2023 versus 10 per cent in 2018. MPA analysis focuses on premium video content creation across TV and OTT but excludes costs associated with the billions of hours being mass produced and uploaded on YouTube.

    Content investment on TV is largely anchored to continued growth in sports rights, across Australia and India in particular, entertainment on free TV across Southeast Asia, albeit expanding at a more moderate pace, and pay-TV in India and Korea. Online video’s contribution to total TV and online video content costs will grow markedly in Southeast Asia, rising from 10 per cent to 20 per cent between 2018 and 2023. A similar growth trajectory is evident over the same period in Australia (13 per cent to 26 per cent) and India (10 per cent to 19 per cent).

    The Overall Video Industry

    Asia Pacific advertising and subscription fees across TV and online video grew 3.9 per cent ex-China in 2017 to reach $60 billion. TV and online media continue to grow at different speeds, as expected, with TV revenues inching up 1.2 per cent in 2017 while online video revenue expanded by 45 per cent to $5.2 billion.

    MPA projects that total industry revenues will climb at a 3.8 per cent CAGR over 2018-23 to reach $77 billion by 2023, with online video scaling up by a 16 per cent CAGR to reach $15 billion in net terms by 2023 versus $7.1 billion in 2018. TV will only grow at a 1.8 per cent CAGR over the same period to reach $62 billion by 2023.

    By 2023, the largest TV and online video markets in Asia Pacific ex-China will be: Japan ($27 billion), India ($17 billion), Korea ($9.2 billion) and Australia ($8.2 billion). Southeast Asia will contribute $11.1 billion by 2023. India will remain the fastest-growing video market, growing at an average annual rate of more than 8 per cent over 2018-23, followed by Southeast Asia with 5 per cent and Australia at 4.5 per cent.

    Online Video

    Online video advertising, dominated by YouTube to date, continues to grow at a stellar pace, increasing by 47 per cent in Asia Pacific ex-China to $3.6 billion in 2017 and projected by MPA to climb at a 17 per cent CAGR between 2018-23 to reach $10.7 billion by 2022. Online video subscription fees are growing rapidly from a very low base, up 41 per cent year-on-year in 2017 to reach $1.7 billion and forecast to grow at a 12 per cent CAGR from 2018 to more than $4 billion by 2023.

    Japan and Australia will remain the leading markets for online video, contributing more than 55 per cent to Asia Pacific revenues ex-China in 2023. The third-largest market will be India, which will also be the fastest growing with a 26 per cent CAGR over 2018-23, with Southeast Asia the second-fastest with a 21 per cent CAGR over the same period.

  • Countdown begins for APOS 2018

    Countdown begins for APOS 2018

    BALI: And so it’s time for another Asia Pacific Operators Summit (APOS) in Bali’s now famed Ayana Resort. The team at Singapore-based Media Partners Asia has drawn up another power-packed three days with the main opening Disney-backed reception planned for 24 April evening.

    Among the big names slated to speak at APOS this year are India’s minister of electronics and information technology and law and justice Ravi Shankar Prasad, Viacom president and CEO Bob Bakish, Discovery International president and CEO Jean Briac Perrette, Kudelski group chairman and CEO Andre Kudelski,  Emeral Media managing director Paul Aiello, Blue Ant Media co-founder and CEO Michael MacMillan,  20th Century Fox TV Distribution global distribution president Gina Brogi, Astro Malayasia executive director and group CEO Rohana Rozhan and BBC Studios director Mark Linsey.

    For those wanting an insight into the Asian market, APOS has been proving to be a good starting point. This year’s sessions cover a broad swathe of topics right from the role of content for telcos, the changing face of China’s network and content landscape, a focus on how Amazon is dealing with two markets–India and Japan (Ritiesh Sidhwani is on this panel with James Farrell–the head of content for APAC), how YouTube is monetising the mobile opportunity in Asia, how entertainment and broadband will shape up in future; the role of gaming; the new wave of digital content; how online video advertising is evolving in Asia; live sports; among many others.

    Special country sessions have been planned as well with one on how India is measuring up in the age of digital convergence and feature Hathway’s Rajan Gupta, Tata Sky MD & CEO Harit Nagpal and Viacom18 CEO Sudhanshu Vats. Other country focuses include: Korean TV and entertainment, telcos in Taiwan, Indonesia’s broadcast transition; Australia’s strategic shifts; Singapore TV, and one on the media in the Philippines.

    A gaggle of sponsors and partners have hopped on to be a part of MPA’s APOS. Stay tuned for updates.
     

     

  • Hooq unveils three Asian original productions

    MUMBAI: Hooq will be doubling down on local Asian stories, making a bold move into original content across the region.

    Hooq will be announcing five all-new Asian originals, adding to its already comprehensive Asian catalogue. These five new projects, which will be announced at APOS this week, from across the region and take the form of three movies, a multi-episode series along with five pilots. The projects also transcend genre with romance, comedy and drama.

    “There is a huge thirst for high quality, unique Asian stories, told from an Asian perspective. We aim to satisfy this with Hooq Originals on our platform. These four new Hooq Originals are going to whet your binge-watching appetite for drama, romance and comedies. This is just the beginning of a lot more exciting Asian originals to keep you Hooq’d. We will continue to push boundaries, to evolve and stay committed to delivering unique, compelling and edgy Asian stories to our millions of Hooq customers,” said Hooq chief executive officer Peter Bithos.

    These four new original productions come on the back of Hooq and Globe Studios’ first highly anticipated original production On The Job – the pilot of which will now be released as a full-length movie followed by a 5-episode series forming Season 1. Directed by Erik Matti and co-produced with Reality Entertainment, this thrilling drama of crime, deceit and struggles touch scarily close to the hearts of the current underbelly deep in Filipino societal issues. The full-length feature film is slated for release in August 2017 followed six weeks later by the rest of season 1.

    ‘The T Party’

    The second Filipino original production from Hooq, codenamed ‘The T Party’, centres around today’s modern story of finding love on an online dating app aims to delight and entertain with its sexy, steamy yet funny romances. The development of an eight-episode series is now underway with top directors in the romcom genre including Joyce Bernal, as well as Marvin Agustin in his directorial debut. Each episode will revolve around intertwining stories based on finding love (or otherwise) through a popular dating app. It will be, in most ways, an unofficial guide, and a scandalous expose on the merry world of online dating, as navigated by an insider. This series is scheduled to debut exclusively on Hooq in the late 2017.

    Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts

    Hooq’s first Indonesian original, “Marlina The Murderer in Four Acts” has been selected at the Director’s Fortnight session at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Marlina is Hooq’s first venture into Indonesian production. Hooq has chosen to co-produce this film with award-winning Indonesian film- maker Mouly Surya and producers Rama Adi and Fauzan Zidni. The film is a co-production between Cinesurya and Kaninga Pictures, Sasha and Co Production, Astro Shaw, Hooq and Purin Pictures. Marlina tells a story of a young widow of the Indonesian hills of the Island of Sumba. Attacked and robbed by a gang of local men, Marlina exacts revenge on the entire gang. The next day, she commences a journey for justice, empowerment and redemption. But her road is long, especially when the ghost of her headless victim decides to haunt her. This is the first Indonesian film to have been selected at Directors’ Fortnight session and the fourth ever selected in Cannes. Marlina is targeted to hit the big screens towards the end of 2017.

    Sweet 20

    In partnership with Starvision and CJ Entertainment, directed by Ody C. Harahap, Sweet 20 is an adaptation from a best-selling Korean movie called Miss Granny. This remake of the Korean comedy tells the story of a 70-year old grandmother, Fatmawati who was transported back to her youth as a 20-year old and becomes a star. However an event occurs where she has to make the difficult decision to remain in her new life or return to being a 70-year old in order to save the life of her grandson. Sweet 20 is slated to hit the big screens in Indonesia this June.

    The fourth and fifth Hooq Original will be announced later this week during APOS.

  • “Creating sporting events more important than acquiring expensive rights”: Sanjay Gupta

    “Creating sporting events more important than acquiring expensive rights”: Sanjay Gupta

    MUMBAI: Star India is in major over drive mode. The network has picked up a 74 per cent stake in Mashal Sports, which is the owner of Pro Kabaddi League.

     

    While delivering a keynote at the 2015 edition of Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) Star India chief operating officer (COO) Sanjay Gupta spoke about the company’s aim to spawn a multi-sport culture in the country by promoting local content with events like Indian Super League (ISL) and Pro-Kabaddi League.

     

    “People are queuing up to buy an English Premier League (EPL), a LaLiga or a Bundesliga, but the question here is how much engagement do these games actually offer as compared to relevant local content. We tried this with ISL and Kabaddi and the initial response has been very encouraging,” Gupta informed.

     

    “Sports is a long haul business and it takes sustained investment to build something ground up. We need to have a long term commitment to build a sport… a 10 to 20 years approach to build it ground up. Take the example of EPL, which has been around for decades and has built an extremely strong consumer franchise, which advertisers are eager to associate with. The three year view of buying sporting rights has to change, which disallows most of the partners to make money and disincentives anyone trying to build a sport,” he further added.

     

    Talking about lack of innovation in stifling sports business economics, Gupta said, “When there’s a big sporting event, people congregate to watch in huge numbers. The only question is if there are enough of these happening and how much innovation has been happening.”

     

    Speaking about mushrooming ventures like ISL and Pro Kabaddi League, Gupta added, “Better engagement in sports will drive greater consumption. People don’t look happy when they win a sports bid. Practices in the sports business have become quite toxic. Instead of a content creation business this has been run as a rent a cab business. If I am league owner, chances are I’ll squeeze more money from you than you can ever hope to earn. One of the challenges that we are seeing is that almost all of the investment in sports is going into rights cost. We are trying to change that by investing in basic sports infrastructure apart from rights, whether it was grooming the players for an on screen experience in Kabaddi or partnering to get the stadiums ready for ISL.”

     

    Speaking about the stake acquisition in Mashal Sports, Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, “Star has acquired a majority stake in Mashal Sports with a vision to create an even more favourable ecosystem for the great Indian sport of Kabaddi and build on its successful launch. The investment, completely in sync with Star’s aim to spawn a multi-sport culture in the country, will further help in nurturing India’s sporting talent. We are totally committed to abiding with the vision of Mashal management and all stakeholders of Pro-Kabaddi and will further develop the league in the upcoming season 2.”