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Tag: Indian Super League

  • FSDL brings on board Viacom18 as its official media rights partner for the Indian Super League

    FSDL brings on board Viacom18 as its official media rights partner for the Indian Super League

    Mumbai: Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) has announced Viacom18 Media Private Limited as the ‘new home of Indian Football’ for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.  The 10th season of the Indian Super League kicks off on 21 September at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi, with a blockbuster clash between rivals Kerala Blasters FC and Bengaluru FC.

    Viacom18 will be the exclusive media rights holder for ISL, India’s top-tier football league, across digital and linear TV platforms. The telecast will be available for football fans in multiple languages keeping in mind the diverse audience of the league, and will also be streamed free on JioCinema.

    Over the past decade, ISL has proven to be a driving force behind the overall development of football in India both on and off the field. In its next phase of growth Viacom18 will be the perfect partner to take ISL to a larger audience, with its strong digital capabilities and connect with new-age sports fans. Viacom18’s digital streaming platform JioCinema, which will stream ISL for free, has brought a pioneering viewing experience through livestreaming of properties such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the TATA IPL and it will continue to bring a similar experience for ISL.

    Football Sports Development Limited spokesperson said, “We are pleased to have Viacom18 as our media rights partner for the Indian Super League. When we set on our journey of ISL, we had the vision to revolutionise the Indian football ecosystem. As we enter our 10th year of growing football in India, it is great to associate with a partner who shares the same vision and believes in growing the consumption of football in the country. Viacom18’s proven record and impact in offering a fan-first football experience to the Indian audience, starting with the FIFA Football World Cup, makes them the best partner as we enter the next decade of growing Indian football.”

    Viacom18 Media Private Limited spokesperson, said, “Winning the streaming and broadcast rights to the ISL is a big step forward for us in the direction of building a glittering stable of footballing action. The ISL has led the resurgence of Indian football in recent years and coming on board with the league as the exclusive media partner enables us to contribute to the development of the sport in the country. We believe this is an exciting time in Indian football and through our extensive presentation of the league we aim to stoke a renewed interest in the heart of every Indian football lover.”

    ISL Season 10 will kick off at prime time of 8:00 pm, with double headers starting at 5:30 pm. 

  • Fitbit joins Mumbai City FC as wearable, wellness partner

    Fitbit joins Mumbai City FC as wearable, wellness partner

    Mumbai: Fitbit has been named Mumbai City FC’s official wearable and wellness partner for the 2022-23 Indian Super League season. Fitbit will now support Mumbai City FC by monitoring their activities with holistic wellness expertise ahead of a season that sees the Islanders return to Mumbai after two seasons.

    Mumbai City FC will sport the Fitbit Charge 5 during the Hero ISL season across MCFC social media handles. The partnership will be further amplified across print, digital content, and on-ground branding.

    The company claims that Fitbit Charge 5 is the first-ever fitness tracker that features an EDA sensor that helps in keeping a close check on stress levels. Charge 5’s daily readiness score will help the Islanders understand when they are ready to workout, or should prioritise recovery. They will also be able to keep track of their oxygen levels, heart rate, sleep patterns, and more.

    Mumbai City FC CEO Kandarp Chandra said, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Fitbit. We are involved in a sport that is seeing ever improving fitness and wellness levels, not just in India but globally. Fitbit brings immeasurable expertise in not just health but also technology that will support the Islanders in taking one step towards the wellness standards we aim to hold ourselves to at Mumbai City. This partnership is further evidence of the growing commercial pull of Mumbai City FC, and we look forward to a fruitful partnership together.”

    Head of Fitbit India at Google Alok Shankar said, “We are excited to be the wearable and wellness partner of one of India’s most celebrated football clubs—Mumbai City FC. Mumbai City FC players will be able to benefit from the advanced health and wellness features available on the Fitbit platform. We look forward to having the team wear Fitbit Charge 5 to track their workout and recovery and manage their stress levels smarter during the 2022-23 ISL season.”

    Mumbai City FC will play Odisha FC in the first home game of the 2022-23 Hero Indian Super League season on October 15 at 7:30 p.m. at their home stadium, the Mumbai Football Arena, after nearly three years.

  • Indian Super League 2022-2023: Ather Energy announces Kerala Blasters FC as their digital partner

    Indian Super League 2022-2023: Ather Energy announces Kerala Blasters FC as their digital partner

    Mumbai: E-scooter manufacturer, Ather Energy, has joined the Kerala Blaster Football Club (KBFC) as their digital partner for the team. This will be Ather Energy’s third consecutive year of partnership with the finalists from last season.

    Commenting on the association, Ather Energy chief business officer Ravneet Singh Phokela said  “We are delighted to continue our support with KBFC for the third year in a row. The trajectory of KBFC in this tournament parallels our own in the EV business. KBFC has established itself as one of the country’s most enthusiastic clubs and a finalist in the 2021 season. Similarly, Ather has developed strong salience in Kerala over the last year, becoming the market’s biggest EV player. Our association with KBFC has helped us to drive awareness and familiarity for our brand in Kerala and also across the country, as we continue to expand our footprint. We are hopeful that with this partnership we will be able to showcase our scooters to a larger audience and accelerate the adoption of EVs across the country.” 

    “We are excited to extend our partnership with Ather. They have been at the forefront of India’s transition to electric vehicles, and the club looks forward to helping this transformation continue and driving awareness about sustainable development,” said Kerala Blasters FC director Nikhil Bhardwaj.

    Kerala was one of the first markets in India to adopt EVs and has the highest scooter penetration in India. The acceptance of EVs continues to be at an all-time high. With experience centres across nine major locations (Kochi, Calicut, Trivandrum, Kannur, Palakkad, Thrissur, Kollam, Malappuram & Tirur) and 5,000+ vehicles on the road, Ather is the leading electric vehicle brand in Kerala now. The company has also installed 45+ fast-charging points on the Ather Grid across Kerala, speeding up the EV infrastructure. By the end of the year, Ather Energy plans to expand its presence in Kerala to more cities. The number of test ride requests for the gen3 Ather 450X has risen exponentially across the state in recent months. This association will increase brand awareness in Kerala as well as among the football followers across the country.

    This partnership was enabled and supported by RISE Worldwide, a Reliance initiative and India’s largest sports and entertainment company.

  • Chennaiyin FC introduces official ‘club membership’ on BookMyShow

    Chennaiyin FC introduces official ‘club membership’ on BookMyShow

    Mumbai: After two years, fans will return to the Marina Arena to support Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League (ISL). In a bid to celebrate the occasion and welcome their fans, Chennaiyin have introduced a club membership ahead of the 2022/23 Indian football season. This enables the fans to engage with the club better. The membership will be available across two categories: Gold and Silver. The official membership will be available exclusively on BookMyShow till 17 September, 2023.

    The membership card of both packages can be utilised as a match ticket that provides members with access to all ten Hero Indian Super League phase games at the Marina Arena at the cost of eight. Both packages also include a personalised membership card that reflects the member’s respective tier in addition to their name.

    The Gold Membership card offers the fans additional luxuries which include:

        A personalised 2022/23 CFC Home Jersey with the member’s name and number printed.

        Access to one senior team training session followed by meet & greet with CFC players.

        20 per cent discount on official CFC fan wear by Suditi and a 25 per cent discount on official CFC merchandise by fully filmy.

        CFC soccer schools voucher.

        Vouchers from CFC sponsors and partners.

    Chennaiyin FC co-owner Vita Dani said, “Through this initiative, the two-time ISL champions aim to build bridges between the club and its fans and help them become more than just spectators.”

    Chennaiyin FC will kick off their campaign for the new season against ATK Mohun Bagan in Kolkata on 10 October, followed by the much awaited clash against Bengaluru FC at the Marina Arena on 14 October.

  • Ather Energy’s new campaign is a shoutout to Kerala’s love for football

    Ather Energy’s new campaign is a shoutout to Kerala’s love for football

    Mumbai: Homegrown electric vehicle company Ather Energy has rolled out a new digital regional campaign called ‘Kali Ini Electric’ to celebrate its partnership with Kerala Blaster FC for the seventh season of the Indian Super League (ISL). 

    Through this campaign, Ather Energy aims to build recognition for their electric scooters in Kerala and establish a seamless connection between their flagship product – the Ather 450X – and the people of Kerala, stated the brand.

    The campaign, conceptualised and executed by Stark Communications, played on the inherent love and passion the people of Kerala have for football and for their favourite sports teams. The video uses a background voice-over in the style of the popular Malayalam commentator Shaiju Damodaran to showcase the beauty of an electric game on the football pitch while riding the Ather 450X electric scooter.

    Kerala, which is an important market for the electric scooter manufacturer saw over 2.5 Lakh views across social media platforms on the first day of the campaign’s release, according to the Bangalore-headquartered company. Kerala Blasters FC also claims to have one of the most engaged fan groups globally.

  • Mumbai City FC announces EA Sports as official partner

    Mumbai City FC announces EA Sports as official partner

    Mumbai: Hero India Super League champions Mumbai City FC has announced its association with global gaming giant and creator of FIFA video game series EA Sports as the club’s official partner running through the end of the 2023-24 season.

    EA Sports brand marks will adorn the back of shorts of the Mumbai City first team and will feature on match days and at the team’s training facility in Nagoa village panchayat football ground.

    The partnership will also see the two entities join hands to entertain the fans of the club across India and the world with content and bring the fans closer to the club and its players.

    The announcement follows the news that EA Sports has secured the official license to incorporate the Indian Super League into FIFA 22.

    “We are delighted to welcome EA Sports to the Mumbai City family in this landmark moment for gaming in India,” said Mumbai City FC chief executive officer Kandarp Chandra. “Our focus is to bring the fans closer to the club and through our partnership with EA Sports, our supporters will have more opportunities to engage with Mumbai City through the power of gaming, especially in times when our fans are unable to watch their favourite club play from the stands.”

  • Ather Energy rejoins Kerala Blasters FC as official partner for ISL

    Ather Energy rejoins Kerala Blasters FC as official partner for ISL

    Mumbai: As the country gears up for the seventh season of the Indian Super League (ISL), homegrown electric scooter manufacturer Ather Energy has joined Kerala Blaster Football Club (KBFC) as the official partner of the team. This is the second consecutive year for the brand to be a part of the football team as its sponsor.

    “The ISL is one of India’s largest sporting leagues and football is deeply ingrained in Keralites’ hearts. Kerala has shown tremendous consumer demand and is an important market for us,” said Ather Energy VP – charging infrastructure and marketing Nilay Chandra. “The new-age consumer is beginning to encourage domestic football matches and we are pleased to be a part of the growth of a sport in the country. Ather 450X has seen a resounding response across the country and will continue to drive the transition to electric with associations like this.“

    KBFC is gunning for victory in this season of the Indian Super League, which will kick off in November 2021, while Ather Energy is set to make a pan-India presence.

    “We are delighted to step into the second year of partnership with a dynamic brand like Ather,” said KBFC director Nikhil Bhardwaj. “They have been at the forefront of India’s EV transformation and we look forward to further contributing to this transformation and driving awareness about sustainable consumption. Together, I am sure we will continue to build an association that helps us both set a benchmark in our respective fields.”

    Ather Energy began operations in Kerala earlier this year and now has two experience centres in the state. The company has also installed 16 fast-charging points – Ather Grid – across Kochi and Kozhikode, speeding up the EV infrastructure. By the end of the year, Ather Energy plans to expand its presence in Kerala to more cities.This association will increase brand awareness in Kerala as well as among football followers across the country, said the company in a statement.

  • Acko extends partnership with Chennaiyin FC as associate sponsors

    Acko extends partnership with Chennaiyin FC as associate sponsors

    Mumbai: Two-time Indian Super League (ISL) champions Chennaiyin FC (CFC) has extended its association with digital insurer Acko General Insurance as an associate sponsor on a multi-year deal.

    CFC and Acko shared a fruitful association after joining hands for the first time in the 2020/21 season of the football league. Through this partnership, CFC along with Acko will look to strengthen their association and engage with the former’s passionate fan base across the country, said the statement.

    The association will be amplified with a 360-degree campaign across television, digital content and social media integrations. To drive fan engagement, Acko will also work with CFC to bring fans closer to the club as the ISL will be hosted once again in Goa in a bio bubble, it added.

    “After a successful first year of the partnership last season, we’re glad to welcome Acko General Insurance back as part of the CFC family,” said CFC co-owner Vita Dani. “The faith that Acko has displayed in Chennaiyin FC is clear in the multi-year renewal that the brand has chosen to enter into with the club.”

    As a part of the deal, Acko’s logo will feature on the right chest position of CFC’s kit. Through this association, both brands will work together to solidify their brand narrative that highlights ‘trust’ as a key factor while buying insurance and on the football pitch.

    “Last year, we created some mini-game screenings to help the fans of CFC watch their favourite football team and we are hoping to increase further engagement with the fans,” said Acko General Insurance executive vice president of marketing Ashish Mishra. “CFC and Acko, in association with Akshaya Patra, have also undertaken various local initiatives to help the people of Chennai during the times of Covid-19.” 

  • Chennaiyin FC announce Nivia as official kit partner

    Chennaiyin FC announce Nivia as official kit partner

    MUMBAI: Two-time Indian Super League (ISL) champions Chennaiyin FC (CFC) has signed sports brand Nivia as the official kit partner on a multi-year deal, starting from the 2021-22 season.

    The Indian sports equipment manufacturer based in Jalandhar, Punjab has strong footprints in the football ecosystem in the country, as well as Asia. Nivia had associated with ISL in 2018 with a three-year multi-crore deal as the football league’s official ball partner. It has also worked with national football federations of India, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan.

    “We are excited to team up with Nivia, one of the most successful sports brands in the football ecosystem in India. This partnership clearly underlines our ascendancy within the sport and will help us widen our reach across Tamil Nadu through their distribution network. We are always keen to associate with brands that share the same passion for the sport as us and we welcome them to the Chennaiyin family,” CFC co-owner Vita Dani said about the partnership.

    With shared values and a compelling sporting proposition, coming together of both the brands will go a long way in helping Marina Machans tap the large and passionate football fan base from the region. This strategic partnership will also ensure the club explores various opportunities to develop football in the grassroots further alongside this indigenous brand.

    Nivia managing director Rajesh Kharabanda said, “The new season of the ISL is around the corner and Nivia is extremely proud to be kick-starting the association with the two-time champions, Chennaiyin FC. To manufacture the kits for them with the Dhrishti Bommai logo — the symbol of chasing away negativity and bringing the positivity — is an absolute honour. We hope this new collaboration between Chennaiyin FC and Nivia helps bring out the best. Finally, we wish the team all the best for the upcoming season and hope to have an extremely fruitful association over the coming few seasons.”

    Nivia will have exclusive retailing rights to CFC’s take-down and replica jerseys, adding pan-India merchandise reach for the franchise across retail and e-commerce channels. The collection will also comprise a fanwear selection of polo tees, shorts, trousers and boots, underscoring both brands’ desire to enhance the collaboration beyond a traditional sports sponsorship model.