Tag: Cricket

Zee aims to replicate Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’s magic with DP World ILT20

MUMBAI: Cricket fever is officially off the charts as Season 3 of the DP World ILT20 kicks into high gear.

The tournament has already delivered spine-tingling action, courtesy of cricket legends like Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Sam Curran, and Andre Russell, among others. And guess what? You can catch all the drama live on Zee’s 15-linear TV channels, OTT platform Zee5, and partner networks.

Now, here’s the kicker—Zee isn’t just in it to stream cricket. They’re in it to transform the ILT20 into a blockbuster, much like their iconic Sa Re Ga Ma Pa series. The channel is doubling down on its knack for spotting and nurturing talent, this time in the world of cricket.

In a chat with Harbhajan Singh, Zee’s chief growth officer – digital & broadcast revenue, Ashish Sehgal revealed some ambitious goals, “Season 2 was a landmark achievement where we set a benchmark, reaching 220 million viewers. For Season 3, our goal is to make it even bigger and better, and we truly believe it’s happening—right from the very first match.”

But how does Zee plan to do it? Sehgal pointed to Zee’s history of fostering talent, “At Zee, nurturing and fostering new talents is in our DNA, as demonstrated by properties like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Season 3 is already showing massive potential, and we’re aiming to nurture this 3-year-old property into a HUGE success.”

So, could ILT20 become cricket’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa? If Zee’s track record is anything to go by, the answer is yes.

The tournament isn’t just about budding stars-it’s also stacked with cricketing royalty. Harbhajan Singh, with a whopping 711 international wickets, continues to bring his insights to the commentary box. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar-dubbed the “Rawalpindi Express”-is back as an ambassador, ready to electrify fans with his unmatched cricketing charisma.

With 34 matches across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah from 11 January to 9 February 2025, cricket fans have plenty to look forward to. Tune in on any of Zee’s 15 linear TV channels, including favourites like Zee Cinema HD, &Flix, and Zee Biskope.

Six franchise teams-Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates, and Sharjah Warriorz-are set to battle it out for glory.

With star-studded rosters and Zee’s entertainment expertise, the third season of ILT20 promises to be a smashing hit. The question is-will you be watching?

Cricket, drama, and Zee-what more could you ask for?

January 20, 2025
South Africa’s Betway SA20 Season 3 cricket league sets new viewing and attendance records

MUMBAI: It’s in crackling, explosive form. Betway SA20 has kicked off its third season with a record-breaking opening match viewership, surpassing previous records and solidifying its position as a major force in South African cricket.

The opening match between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and MI Cape Town drew a record 382,778 live unique viewers on SuperSport, a 129 per cent increase from Season 2. This makes it the second-highest recorded live opening viewership number on SuperSport this summer, behind the T20 series between the Proteas and India.

Additionally, the opening week saw record attendance numbers, with four sold-out matches and an 79 per cent attendance rate across six matches. The fans have enthusiastically embraced the cricket and entertainment experience, setting the stage for a successful tournament.

League commissioner Graeme Smith attributed the success to the collective efforts of the franchises, SuperSport, and the fans, saying, “We’ve worked hard to establish the league as a property that appeals to viewers at home and those who come to the stadium. These numbers give us the confidence that we’re on the right track to building on a strong foundation. The league has come to be recognised as amongst the best in the world after the IPL. Most people did not give us a chance of succeeding.”

Nielsen Sports SA managing director Tumelo Selikane added, “We’re thrilled with the response to the Betway SA20 league. The strong viewership numbers are a testament to the league’s growing popularity and the exceptional work of SuperSport and the League.”

Betway SA20’s success has also attracted new sponsors, further solidifying its commercial value and appeal. As the tournament progresses, the league is poised for continued success, with strong viewership numbers and growing commercial appeal.

January 17, 2025
European T20 Premier League gets ICC nod

MUMBAI: There’s one more international T20 cricket league coming the way of fans of the willow. And it’s coming from where else, Europe, the one bunch of cricket playing nations, that had been left out of the action. so far.

Called the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) it is to be held from 15 July to 3 August 2025. The league got the sanction from cricket’s global ruling body the International Cricket Council on 4 January.

The ETPL is a privately-owned franchise tournament with a unique twist – it is a partnership between three cricket nations – Ireland (Cricket Ireland), Scotland (Cricket Scotland) and the Netherlands (Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond – KNCB). This collaborative approach gives the ETPL a true European feel and will feature the best talent from those three nations playing alongside some of the best talent from around the world.

The three cricketing boards had tried to put together a tournament called the Euro T20 Slam in March 2019 but it had failed to take off. Not even one season was held. Hence, the trio are being a lot more careful now. They have put together an interim working group with a representative from each of them, strategic partner Rules Sport Tech, on behalf of the funding partners, to guide decision making and oversee the creation of a new administrative body to run the event. Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom has been elected chair of the interim working group.

Said Deutrom: “We are delighted to confirm the ICC sanction of the ETPL and agreements are now in place across the joint venture partners. This is an important day in the development of the event, as it effectively fires the starting pistol on work around three important areas – franchise ownership, broadcast and the player draft. These are exciting times for cricket in Europe, and for local cricket fans, as we showcase some of the best cricket talent from Europe and around the world.”

A formal launch of the tournament and further details will be provided in due course, he added.

January 5, 2025
Sony exec Vikram Vijay Chandan turns author with Love Life and Cricket

MUMBAI: When you have been distributing sports channels for more than 20 years as a TV distribution executive, it gives you a first-hand look at the game of cricket than possible otherwise. And that’s what’s prompted Sony Pictures Networks Distribution India vice-president of sales Vikram Vijay Chandan to pen a book about the sport and its applicability to life.

Called Love Life and Cricket, the book has made its debut on Amazon. The cricket-mad Vikram has been podcasting about cricket for a while now and draws parallels between life and the game in every situation. He penned the book over four years, while holding his day job at Sony, meeting cable operators and executives at DTH platform doing deals to carry the Sony sports channels.

“This book is a culmination of my journey, experiences and learnings around the game I love,” said he on linkedin. “Cricket, often referred to as a religion in India, is more than just a game. It’s a reflection of life itself. Just as cricket has its ups and downs, life too has its share of triumphs and tribulations. Love, in its purest form, is the glue that holds relationships together. Just as a batsman and bowler engage in a beautiful dance, love is the harmony that exists between two people.In cricket, every ball is a new opportunity, just like every day in life. We must seize each moment, just as a fielder seizes a catch, and make the most of it.
As we navigate the ups and downs of life, cricket reminds us of the importance of perseverance, teamwork, and sportsmanship. And just as love conquers all, cricket too has the power to unite people across cultures and borders.So, let’s cherish the love, live life to the fullest, and enjoy the game of cricket – for in its simplicity lies a profound beauty that reflects the very essence of human existence.”

Based in Gurugram, Vikram has also been expressing his thoughts and views about action on the ground through his Instagram handle and his opinions have got more than 20 million views.

Love Life and Cricket has been published by Beeja House which is run by the mentor of writers Geetika Saigal.

You can get onto Amazon and buy your copy by clicking on the link: Love Life and Cricket

January 5, 2025
FanCode to stream inter-school sports from Mumbai

MUMBAI: This has been some time in the works. College and high school sports are massive money spinners for all in the US. Indian platforms too are getting in on this future growth opportunity.

Take streamer FanCode; it has obtained the media rights to broadcast some of the marquee events organised by the Mumbai School Sports Association (MSSA) across multiple sports.

Earlier, the Dream Sports Foundation (DSF) and MSSA had inked a partnership which aims to improve young sports by developing grassroots talent.

The coverage begins with the under-16 cricket championship for the Harris Shield which is being streamed on FanCode for the second year in succession. Anjuman-I-Islam Allana English School and Modern English School ,Chembur are facing off in this year’s final between December 16-18 at Brabourne Stadium. The Harris Shield has seen the emergence of greats such as Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Yashasvi Jaishwal, among many others. It is being accompanied by the coverage of the championship battle for the under-14 Giles shield .

FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco said that the decision to telecast the Harris Shield last year was a landmark one for amateur sports. “We are delighted to continue providing a platform to the next generation of superstars and extending this to sports beyond cricket, with athletics, hockey, football and other events that MSSA will organise. This is also in line with our larger goal of nurturing a sporting culture, by offering a platform for families and friends to come together and show their support for the athletes,” he added.

Among the other events that are to be streamed include: the inter-school athletic meet, Inter-school Hockey Tournament finals for The Aga Khan Hockey Cup, and Inter-school Football Tournament.

Sports lovers can watch the tournament via FanCode’s mobile app, TV app for Android TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Jio STB, Samsung TV, Airtel XStream, OTT Play, Prime Video, WatchO, and the FanCode website.

December 15, 2024
IPL2025 Auction: The action heats up on day two

MUMBAI: With limited purses at their disposal, some of the team managements moved cautiously while making their purchases on day two of the IPL2025 mega auction at the Abadi Al Johar Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Royal Challengers Bengaluru had a piggy bank with Rs 30.65 crore; Mumbai Indians, Rs 26.1 crore; Punjab Kings, Rs 22.5 crore; Gujarat Titans, Rs 17.5 crore; Rajasthan Royals, Rs 17.35 crore; Chennai Super Kings; Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 14.85 crore; Delhi Capitals, Rs 13.8 crore; Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 10.5 crore and Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 5.5 crore.

The day was a bit of a shocker with some rather good players not finding any takers in the first round of the auction, but getting picked up in the first or second round of the accelerated auction later in the day. Among the cricketers who were left out figured: Kane Williamson, Glenn Phillips, Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agrawal, Prithvi Shaw, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell,Shai Hope, K.S. Bharat, Alex Carey, Akeal Hosein, Adil Rashid, Keshav Maharaj, Fin Allen, Moen Ali, Umran Malik, Mustafizur Rahman, Umesh Yadav, Steve Smith, Sikandar Raza, Sarfaraz Khan, Kyle Mayers, Navdeep Saini, Lungi Ngidi Kwena Maphaka and Shivam Mavi. Some of these were once celebrated as stars and sure shots who were paid big bucks in previous IPLs.

It’s almost as if some of the teams were looking to take major risks and take on new talent, instead of recruiting players who have put up mixed performances. While others went about putting in big bucks to retain their squads of yesteryear.

Kolkata Knight Riders got the train moving by offering Rs 1.5 crore for West Indies skipper Rovman Powell, which was his base price. Delhi Capitals then got into the act by acquiring Faf du Plessis for Rs 2 crore, his base price. But the big story of the day was the Rs 1.1 crore which Rajasthan Royals shelled out for the 13 year old tyro and hard-hitter Vaibhav Suryavanshi, making him the youngest ever player to be picked up for the IPL.

Among the players who were picked up during the day included: Akash Deep (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 8 crore); Lockie Ferguson (Punjab Kings, Rs 2 crore); Deepak Chahar (Mumbai Indians, Rs 9.25 crore); Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rs 10.75 crore); Gerald Coetzee (Gujarat Titans, Rs 2.40 crore); Tushar Deshpande (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 6.50 crore); Josh Inglis (Punjab Kings, Rs 2.60 crore); Nitish Rana (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 4.20 crore); Ryan Rickelton (Mumbai Indians, Rs 1 crore); Washington Sundar (Gujarat Titans, Rs 3.20 crore); Krunal Pandya (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rs 5.75 crore); Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings, Rs 7 crore); Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 2.40 crore); Allah Ghazanfar (Mumbai Indians, Rs 4.80 crore); Xavier Bartlett (Punjab Kings, Rs 80 lakh), Yuvraj Chaudhary (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 30 lakh); Pyla Avinash (Punjab Kings Rs 30 lakh); Eshan Malinga (Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 1.2 crore); Devdutt Padikkal (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rs 2 crore) ; Luvnith Sisodia (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 30 lakh); Shreyas Gopal (Chennai Super Kings; Rs 30 lakh); Ajinkya Rahane (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 2 crore); Glenn Phillips (Gujarat Titans, Rs 2 crore); Donovan Ferreira (Delhi Capitals, Rs 75 lakh); Anukul Roy (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 40 lakh); Vansh Bedi (Chennai Super Kings, Rs 55 lakh); Moeen Ali (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 2 crore); Umran Malik (Kolkata Knight Riders, Rs 75 lakh); Sachin Baby (Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rs 30 lakh); Arshin Kulkarni (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 30 lakh); Matthew Breetzke (Lucknow Super Giants, Rs 75 lakh); Kwena Maphaka (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 1.5 crore); Praveen Dubey (Punjab Kings, Rs 30 lakh); Manvanth Kumar (Delhi Capitals, Rs 30 lakh); Karim Janat (Gujarat Titans, Rs 75 lakh); Bevon Jacobs (Mumbai Indians, Rs 30 lakh); Tripurana Vijay (Delhi Capitals, Rs 30 lakh); Madhav Tiwari (Delhi Capitals, Rs 40 lakh); Kunal Rathore (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 30 lakh); Arjun Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians, Rs 30 lakh); Lizaad Williams (Mumbai Indians, Rs 75 lakh); Abhinandan Singh (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rs 30 lakh); Kulwant Khejroliya, (Gujarat Titans, Rs 30 lakh); Ashok Sharma (Rajasthan Royals, Rs 30 lakh); Vignesh Puthur, (Mumbai Indians, Rs 30 lakh); Mohit Rathee (Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rs 30 lakh).

Below are some moments from the auction interspersed with the final squads of each of the teams and the prices that were paid for them. Happy reading and viewing! (pix courtesy screen grabs from JioCinema’s stream of the auction)

The price mentioned in the second column is the amount paid to the player to acquire him for
the team.

November 25, 2024
Asian Cricket Council partners with Sony for 2024-2031 media rights cycle

MUMBAI: This is one player who is not going to be kept out of the game. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI – Culver Max Entertainment Pvt Ltd) has pocketed the exclusive media rights for Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC’s) tournaments for the period 2024-2031. The amount is a 70 per cent jump over the previous rights deal, clearly highlighting the growing global stature and appetite for ACC Asia Cup tournaments.

According to reports, the tender released in September by the ACC, had set a base price at $170 million for the rights, almost double of what Star India had paid in the previous rights cycle.

The deal encompasses all editions of the men’s and women’s Asia Cups, men’s and women’s Under-19 Asia Cups, and the men’s and women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cups. The partnership ensures comprehensive and innovative coverage of Asian cricket’s marquee tournaments across television, digital, and audio platforms.

A press release issued by SPNI and ACC says that the latter’s vision for Asian cricket is inclusive and forward-thinking. The partnership with SPNI not only secures high-quality coverage for the ACC’s flagship tournaments but also provides the financial resources necessary to drive development programs across all member nations.

With SPNI’s extensive broadcasting expertise and the ACC’s commitment to growing the game, this partnership is poised to set new benchmarks for cricket in Asia and beyond.

“This media rights deal is a significant milestone for the ACC Asian and cricket across the region. The Asia Cup continues to be a cornerstone of cricketing excellence, bringing together the best of the region’s talent,” said ACC president Jay Shah. “With SPNI as our new media partner, we are confident in their ability to deliver world-class coverage and an immersive viewing experience for fans worldwide.

With Sony’s extensive expertise in the broadcasting industry, we are excited to embark on this new partnership. Sony’s expertise and innovative approach promise to bring a fresh perspective to the coverage of Asian cricket, reaching new audiences and setting new benchmarks.

The substantial increase in rights value will enable the ACC to channel significant resources into grassroots programs, infrastructure development, and talent pathways, especially for associate nations. This collaboration will drive the continued growth of cricket across Asia and ensure its vibrant future.”

“Congratulations to the ACC for conducting a fair and transparent bidding process for the rights to the ACC tournaments!” said SPNI’s MD & CEO Gaurav Banerjee. “We are delighted to bring these action-packed tournaments, which will also include India and Pakistan matches, to our viewers for the next 8 years. ACC tournaments have created unforgettable moments and set the stage for the most intense Asian Cricket rivalries. We eagerly look forward to sharing the thrill and spirit of these matches with cricket fans.”

ACC, had in the last fortnight awarded the exclusive commercial sponsorship rights for all ACC Asia Cup tournaments to TCM Sports Management (TCM), deepening its decade long relationship with the ACC. It gave the marketing agency sole rights over on-ground advertising and sponsorships for men’s and women’s Asia Cup tournaments until 2031. The sponsorship package would grant TCM title and official sponsorship rights, positioning TCM to shape the branding landscape for ACC events.

November 22, 2024
Paul-Tyson fight most streamed sporting event ever: Netflix

MUMBAI: The record for concurrent viewers on a streamer (Disney+Hotstar) for cricket stands at 59 million during the ICC World Cup finals in 2023 between India and Australia. And that too in India with a population of 1.4 billion.

That record was left by the wayside during the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight which was streamed on Netflix, peaking at 65 million concurrent streams, with 38 million originating in the US. This made it the most streamed sporting event ever, said Netflix. The fight generated 46.6M views for the entire event.

Data provided by monitoring agency TVision revealed that almost 65 per cent off all US TV viewing between 12 am and 1 am EST on 15 November was accounted by the much publicised slugfest. The Paul-Tyson fight garnered an estimated average minute audience (AMA) of 108 million live viewers globally from opening to closing bell and continued to drive viewing into the weekend with an estimated AMA of 125 million (Live+1).

The event ranked at No 1 in 78 countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, South Africa, the UK and the US, and in the Top 10 in 91 countries tracked for the week of 11-17 November. The fight generated over 1.4B owned impressions across Netflix’s global social channels. #PaulTyson was the No 1 trending topic worldwide on X on Friday, said Netflix in a statement.

The live event also saw Katie Taylor defend her title as the undisputed super lightweight world champion in a brutal 10-round rematch against Amanda Serrano to become the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history, averaging an estimated 74 million live viewers. #Serrano was the No. 2 trending topic on X Friday in the US, Brazil, Spain, and Canada.

November 20, 2024
All Women’s Sports Network launches on Jio TV

MUMBAI: We all know Whoopi Goldberg as a wonderful actress and for her roles in The Color Purple and Sister Act series. Now the American star – who has long been a supporter of sports – will be known for launching a global sports network for women. Yes, exclusively focused on women’s sports.

Called the All Women Sports Network (AWSN) its launch was announced mid-last week on The Tonight Show hosted by Jimmy Fallon. Goldberg is partnering with an organization called CommonSpirit Health which is led by CEO Wright Lassetter III for the network.

The new channel will “be the home for live women’s sports from around the world. Everything from soccer, basketball, tennis, cricket, curling, you name it — if a woman is playing it, we’re showing it,” expressed Goldberg to Fallon.

In India, AWSN is available on Jio TV and Jio TV+ across all mobile phones and is integrated with the Jio set top box as well. Goldberg added that the channel is to be available in 65 countries including west Asia, Asia and a US announcement is set to follow.

According to Goldberg, the goal of AWSN is to “rectify the imbalance in sport representation, championing the cause of female athletes one step at a time.”

At the time of writing, the channel was showcasing docuseries around prominent sportswomen like Billie Jean King, Serena Williams and other athletes, interspersed with live matches of women’s football, beach ball in Germany and Sweden, and basketball, field hockey leagues in Australia.

November 10, 2024
Zee to go the whole hog with DP World ILT20 cricket league in 2025

MUMBAI: Sports is what it had let go of more than a decade or so ago. Now Zee Entertainment is making a big-bang entry back into it. The entertainment giant announced today that it will be telecasting the DP World International League T20 (ILT20) on 15 of its channels, on Zee5 and on its syndicate partners’ TV and digital networks across the world from 11 January 2025 for the month long cricket fiesta.

Among the channels it will be telecasting the matches include: &Pictures SD, &Pictures HD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Anmol Cinema 2, Zee Action, Zee Biskope, Zee Zest SD, Zee Cinemalu HD, Zee Telugu HD, Zee Thirai, Zee Tamil HD, Zee Kannada HD, Zee Zest HD, &Flix SD, &Flix HD. The DPL ILT20 tournament will also be free to view on one of India’s leading OTT platforms – Zee5.

A press release issued by the network states that the idea is to capture a viewership of 230 million just from India. What will help it get there is the fact that the tournament will be shown on its southern language channels as well, expanding its reach exponentially.

The matches will take place at three iconic UAE locations – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah – starting from 11 January to 9 February 2025.

“Zee is delighted to present third season of DP World ILT20 to cricket fans in India and across the globe, offering an electrifying experience across our 15 linear TV channels and OTT platform, Zee5,” says Zee chief growth officer-digital & broadcast revenue. “With some of the finest players, iconic stadiums and top sporting franchises, we aim to elevate the cricket carnival experience, building on last year’s success and cementing the league’s status as the second most watched T20 cricket league globally.”

DP World ILT20, in its second season, drew 200,000 attendees over 34 games. The league is the second most-watched T20 cricket league globally, with a total of 348 million unique viewers from around the world, including a staggering 221 million viewers from India. With a notable 46 per cent share of female viewership and 55 per cent share of youth viewership, the league’s broad appeal in India underscores its status as household entertainment, says the press release.

“The difference between DPL World ILT20 and IPLT20 is that each of the franchises can have more international players on the teams in our league. The IPL has by its construct more Indian players in each team,” Sehgal had told news channel Wion during an interview earlier this week.

The existing roster continues to be strong with the presence of players like David Warner, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga and Jake Fraser McGurk among others.

The franchise-style tournament DP World ILT20 comprises six teams: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (Knight Riders Group), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR Group), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline), MI Emirates (Reliance Industries), and Sharjah Warriorz (Capri Global).

The previous edition was won by MI Emirates.

September 25, 2024