ITV

Tag: IPL 2020

  • Cricket claimed 87 per cent share of sports sponsorship in 2020: GroupM

    Cricket claimed 87 per cent share of sports sponsorship in 2020: GroupM

    Mumbai: With the Indian Premier League (IPL) leading the charge, cricket contributed Rs 5,133 crores ($694 million) to the total sports sponsorship in India in 2020, which works out to a mammoth share of 87 per cent, according to GroupM ESP Sporting Nation Report 2021 released on Monday.

    Other sports cumulatively contributed Rs 761 crores ($ 103 million), which roughly accounts for 13 per cent of the total share. The report pegged the size of the Indian sports industry in 2020 at Rs 5,894 Crores, which includes sponsorship spends, celebrity endorsement and media spends on sports properties.

    Media spends on sports

    The biggest share is occupied by media, where advertisement spends on TV, digital and print media contributed to Rs 3,657 crores, which accounts for 62 per cent of the total spends. Sponsorship spends included on-ground sponsorships, team sponsorships, and franchise fee grabbed up 28 per cent of the industry pie, which translates to Rs 1,673 Crores.

    An interesting shift that gained momentum in 2020 was athlete endorsements which grew five per cent over 2019, against the run of play in a year ravaged by the pandemic. Out of the total 377 endorsement deals that happened in 2020, as many as 275 involved cricket players.

    The year 2020 also saw female athletes pulling in brands. “The continued success of these stars is proof of the fact that our champions are loved, and we are proud of them. As the sporting nations wait eagerly in anticipation, the stocks are highly in favour of endorsements from our athletes,” the report stated.

    Group M South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar said, “Even without any activities, our sports heroes stayed close to us during the pandemic by actively engaging with their followers on social media. The spontaneity of this online content flow demonstrates the power of sports in our country. Speedy responses and improvisations are on the go where the situation demanded. Among the many things the Covid2019 situation taught us, marketers were the need to be adaptable as the tide turns fast around us.”

    The boom in e-sports in 2020

    The lockdown had also catalysed the growth in certain sectors. The absence of live sports along with a sub-optimal supply of fresh OTT content led to the shift towards gaming. The month of April 2020 saw an 11 per cent increase in users per week along with a significant jump in average time spent per gamer. This led to a sudden boom in e-sports in 2020, with communities getting built and multiplayer activities gaining ground. Over the last three years, there has been a doubling in the gamer base as well as viewership numbers in the time, the report stated.

    Sports: A success story in 2020

    Despite the Covid2019 threat and multiple risks, the 13th edition of the IPL got underway in UAE in September 2020. The success of the IPL was a great demonstration of the qualities of brinkmanship and improvisation and was able to lift the spirits of the nation battered by the pandemic, highlighted the report.

    In November 2020, the Indian Super League (ISL) kicked off in three venues in Goa with strict protocols and adherence to bio-bubble considerations. This was the first major sports event to be held in India after the pandemic and according to the report, it gave ample demonstration of the country’s ability to pull off an event of this magnitude under such circumstances.

    GroupM South Asia head – sports Vinit Karnik said it was commendable how the sporting ecosystem reacted to the crisis in 2020 and returned sooner than expected.

    “Many sports properties were either canceled or postponed and even sponsorship and media spends were impacted. Even in the face of an adverse context, the stakeholders came together to provide the spark the industry needed. The IPL and ISL are an exemplary demonstration of India’s preparedness to host major sporting events under such taxing circumstances,” he added.

    Karnik went on to say he was hopeful of an increase in demand for subscription viewing in live sports in 2021, with many sporting events lined up in the next few months. “2020 looks like that proverbial backward step we take before a giant leap, like the one we are expected to take in 2021, as part of the making of the sporting nation,” he concluded.

  • After Rs 3,000 crore ad revenue haul, Star India eyes bigger pot in IPL 14

    After Rs 3,000 crore ad revenue haul, Star India eyes bigger pot in IPL 14

    KOLKATA: 2020 was a tough year for broadcasters as major live sports events were cancelled. Cricket fever resumed in India with the Indian Premier League (IPL) returning in September after a six month hiatus, which helped rights-holder Star India garner Rs 3,000 crore in advertising revenues, including the digital segment.

    According to a Moneycontrol report, the broadcaster saw 100 new advertisers despite the economic slowdown. Hence, it is expected that advertisers will be upbeat about IPL 2021 as well.

    While last year Rs 12.6- 12.7 lakh was charged for a 10 second ad spot on TV, Star India is charging Rs 14 lakh for a slot of the same duration this year. The network has already sold out most of the ad inventory this year. Experts project that Star India's TV segment will likely see a 15 per cent jump in ad revenues from IPL 14.

    On the other hand, Disney+Hotstar is charging a 20-25 per cent premium for ad rates. CPMs (cost per mille) are in the range of Rs 200-350 depending on the type of advertisements. The streaming service has priced a 10-second spot at Rs 180. BFSI, telecom, d2c platforms, e-commerce platforms and FMCG brands are interested in the slots this year too. Last year, the streamer earned around Rs 400 crore from ad revenues, up from around Rs 250 crore in 2019.

    Disney+Hotstar has already signed 10 sponsors for this year's tournament. Dream11 is the co-presenting sponsor, Upstox and Vimal Pan Masala are the co-powered by sponsors. Phone Pe, Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), Unacademy, Pharmeasy, Livspace, Swiggy, and Parle Agro have come on board as associate sponsors.

    The network is already raking in the moolah in terms of TV advertisers. Dream11, Byju’s, Phone Pe and Just Dial have signed as co-presenting partners of the league, while Chinese handset manufacturer Vivo has returned as the title sponsor this year.

  • How Dolby enhanced viewers’ experiences during IPL 2020

    How Dolby enhanced viewers’ experiences during IPL 2020

    NEW DELHI: The ongoing pandemic has brought about many changes to the world of live broadcast. Live sport events around the world, like the IPL 2020, have been held without audiences and the lack of attendees has required many innovative approaches across the industry. Therefore, Dolby Laboratories worked closely with Star India to deliver enhanced audio experiences for its broadcast and digital platform during the cricketing tournament.

    The sports production team at Star India used the Dolby On app extensively through the IPL to remotely record voice-overs and reactions from commentators and fans to replicate a stadium-like experience for viewers at home.

    In parallel, Dolby has been working with Star India for over a decade to help create and deliver spectacular broadcast experiences that leverage the company’s end-to-end production and delivery workflow powered by Dolby Audio. This long-etched relationship has grown further with the implementation of enhanced audio technologies across the chain, starting with on-ground and studio production workflows that delivered superior viewer experiences during the recently concluded 13th edition of the IPL. Through Dolby On and Dolby Audio, Star India was able to create an engaging fan experience that brought the thrill of a live stadium to the comfort of viewers’ homes.

    Dolby Laboratories MD emerging markets Pankaj Kedia said, “It has been a fantastic experience to first usher in the HD revolution in 2011 with Dolby Audio, followed by delivering a live cricket broadcast in Dolby Audio and many others. We are excited to be working with the very talented team to explore and deliver enhanced audio experiences to Star India’s viewers.”

    For IPL 2020, Dolby also carried out a complete assessment of the stadiums, pre-production, post-production, audio production, and transmission chain for live and post-produced content. The assessment involved studying the entire audio workflow from its origin at the ground, through the audio mixing tables to transmission and editing stations, playout, and final delivery. Some of the audio processes and workflows were redesigned to better synergise audio from various sources like live matches, on-air promos, and advertising content was optimized for native as well as enhanced 5.1 viewing experience, to ensure that the final audio delivered to the consumer was consistent and maintained a uniform loudness level and clarity regardless of its origin. Extensive audio training modules were designed and delivered to production and technical staff to ensure that they were fully equipped with the knowledge to handle the complexities of live sports broadcasting especially during IPL 2020.

  • A Glance at sports TV globally during Covid2019

    A Glance at sports TV globally during Covid2019

    NEW DELHI: In a year mostly devoid of outdoors action, it came as no big surprise that when live sports resumed in the form of the IPL 2020, it set new viewership records. In a similar fashion, season seven of the ISL is also performing very well, further speaking to the love of football in India.

    But how did sports television fare in other parts of the globe? How did sports buffs in other nations get by for months when live sport was a no-no?

    The 2020 edition of the Yearly Sport Key Facts will give you a clue. Brought out by Glance, a specialist of international TV markets, the report states that months into the Coronavirus pandemic, sports fans are eagerly awaiting the return of sports on television and that the year will forever be an unprecedented season in the history of worldwide sports.

    “The broadcast sports offer during the 2019-20 season has logically declined, but audience successes have also been recorded in many countries, particularly with the resumption of competitions after lockdown,” said Glance sport director Yassine Berhoun.

    She should know: her agency provides official TV ratings for over 7,000 channels in more than 120 territories.

    As all the sports competitions from March to June were cancelled, right holders and broadcasters were left with no option but to reinvent themselves to offer attractive content to sports enthusiasts during lockdown.

    Some channels in European countries showed reruns of the greatest triumphs of their national teams. In France, the L’Equipe channel broadcast several matches from the 2018 World Cup, including France’s win in the final against Croatia, which attracted more than 600,000 viewers.  Similar strategies were adopted in Germany and Spain.

    Virtual events were also set up to make up for the absence of live sports. In northern Belgium, the broadcast of the virtual Tour of Flanders on EEN, where 13 riders were facing each other on a cycling simulation, was watched by more than 600,000 viewers with an audience share of 56 per cent.

    In the United States, the ESPN channel aired The Last Dance documentary series about the final season (1997-98) of the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan’s basketball team. The eagerly awaited documentary created a buzz and was watched on average by more than 6.7 million TV viewers for an average audience share of 7.8 per cent, the biggest audience in history for an ESPN documentary.

    The games have returned, but are still being played behind closed doors. One of the first football competitions to resume was the Bundesliga, the German league which was broadcast by the Sky Group in Germany. The first post-lockdown day broadcast thus achieved an audience of more than 2.5 million fans.

    In Italy, the final of the Coppa Italia between Napoli and Juventus in June achieved the best audience of the season with 10.2 million viewers and a market share of 39.3 per cent on Rai 1, which is three million more viewers than the 2019 final.

    Another highly anticipated competition, the Champions League, made its comeback in August in a new format. The final between Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich got the best sports audience of the season in France and Germany.

    In the 2019/20 season, six of the top ten sports audiences of the season were for Coppa Italia games, according to Glance.

    The winter sports narrowly escaped the lockdown, with only a few final events cancelled at the beginning of the health crisis. In Austria, Slovenia, Norway, Poland and Sweden, TV viewing of winter sports accounted for over 40 per cent of all sports viewed between September 2019 and August 2020. 

    LINK TO THE REPORT : https://www.glance-mediametrie.com/en/yearly-sport-key-facts-2020

  • Eventually, IPL 2020 scored big with advertisers, sponsors

    Eventually, IPL 2020 scored big with advertisers, sponsors

    NEW DELHI: When IPL 2020 began in September, there was a lot of speculation in the industry about its capability to churn out the spectacular revenues like every year. The sponsorship rates had gone down by as much as 25 per cent, and it was highly uncertain that the advertisers, who were still reeling from the financial disaster that Covid-2019 turned out to be, would be willing to spend the big bucks on advertising. However, broadcast partner Star was pretty positive that it would manage to surpass its previous year’s revenue records and clock sales of more than Rs 2000-crore that it managed to churn in 2019. And as it  panned out, it was not just Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma who held the trophy aloft after an easy win against the Delhi Capitals in the finals last evening, but the broadcaster also had some big wins in its kitty. 

    The Media Ant Co-founder Samir Chaudhary stated that IPL 2020 turned out to be a big property for the broadcaster with viewership numbers attaining new highs in IPL 2020. His expectation is that Star will pocket higher revenues than in the previous season. 

    Havas Media Group India national head – buying R. Venkatasubramanian agreed, estimating the  jump to be around 10-12 per cent (TV + digital) over last year. 

    “They sold most of the inventory well before the start of the tournament. As per my knowledge, they must have sold only three to five per cent inventory during the tournament and the sticker prices were 10-15 per cent more than what was offered initially,” pointed out Venkatasubramanian.

    The initial rates ranged between 10 and 15 lakhs per 10 second, as Indiantelevision.com had reported earlier. There were five co-presenting sponsors for Dream11 IPL 2020 on Star Sports – Dream 11, Phone Pe, Amazon, Vodafone Idea and Byju’s; 13 associate sponsors: Mondelez, ITC Foods, Polycab, Diageo, P&G, Coca-cola, Hero, KP Group, Facebook, Daily Hunt, Samsung, Cred and AMFI. Beyond the live game – Byju’s was the sponsor for the pre-and-post-game live show – Byju’s Cricket Live. 

    The categories of advertisers included BFSI, edtech, online gaming, online shopping, home décor, mobile handsets, consumer durables, FMCG, auto, apparel amongst others. Internet and digital-based business like fantasy sports, edtech, e-commerce, and online gaming, also got good traction. 

    As confirmed by a Star Sports spokesperson, IPL 2020 had 18 sponsors and a total of 110 advertisers on board, which is the highest number of partners and advertisers in the history of the IPL, since it began in 2008. Most of the inventory was sold in advance. 

    IPL 2020 performed exceptionally well in terms of viewership as well.  As per BARC data, for television,  IPL 2020 has seen an increased engagement and affinity, reflected through the higher number of games watched. IPL 2019 had 326 billion minutes consumption. That mark had been surpassed in this year’s IPL when just 50 out of the 60 games had been played.

    Additionally, the season recorded the most games watched by an average viewer for any 60-game IPL season and the highest engagement for any IPL ever on the back of regionalisation with Hindi and southern language feeds (Telugu, Tamil and Kannada).

    “The viewership has increased 18-19 per cent compared to last year (till the sixth  week of the tournament) and mostly IPL 2020 will finish with 15-18 per cent higher viewership compared to IPL 2019,” Venkatasubramanian highlighted. 

    That will be more power to the game of cricket. And the love that its fans give it.

  • Faboom Witnesses Significant Increase in its User-Engagement During IPL 2020

    Faboom Witnesses Significant Increase in its User-Engagement During IPL 2020

    NEW DELHI: Indian Premier League 2020 has been taking over the audience with a bang, the buzz for cricket as a sport is only seen elevating by every match. The cricket fever has not only glued the nation to the screen passionately but also has them biting their nails with commendable performances by their favourite cricketers. Faboom, a leading fantasy sports platform, has also observed exceptional growth and intense audience engagement during this tournament. People are indulging into online gaming and thus catering to their dream of playing alongside cricketers virtually. In a short span of time, Faboom has made a permanent place among gaming enthusiasts in India.

    IPL is known to be one of the fascinating cricket leagues in the world, driving a more profound engagement amongst the sports fanatics. However, during these unprecedented times, people weren't able to view their favourite series in-person from the stadium, and the matches were decided to be staged behind closed doors. But to the audience's surprise, Faboom made it possible for them to engage in them by offering a wholesome virtual gaming experience to them where they can leverage their knowledge and skills of cricket, football and other sports. This has positively impacted the brand rapport in the market and further resulted in a substantial uptick in adoption and traction on its website. Faboom has become the preferred choice of sports buffs across the country.

    Pratik Kumar, Co-founder at Faboom said, “IPL is the biggest sports league  which enjoys a huge fan following amongst cricket enthusiasts and is seen catching more traction by every passing year. The series of matches were enjoyed in the stadiums earlier but due to the current outbreak of the pandemic that hasn't been possible. However, even during these trying times, people have been able to participate in Fantasy Gaming from the comfort of their homes and all the Gaming apps have been witnessing an increasing engagement. This has further resulted in 300% growth of Faboom and is inspiring us to continue to elevate the level of sports in the country and beyond.”

    Faboom creates exciting content for sports lovers across the nation and spicing up their cricket fantasies with unparalleled and unique formats where the participants can play in teams and enjoy a real-life experience on a digital platform.

  • Cricbuzz see significant consumption spike in IPL 2020, overshadows other cricket apps

    Cricbuzz see significant consumption spike in IPL 2020, overshadows other cricket apps

    IPL 2020, one of the most awaited events finally started on 19th September 2020 in the UAE. This year's IPL came as a respite to eager fans who have had to await a long absence of cricket. BCCI secretary Jay Shah, on Twitter, shared that 20-crore people watched the opening match of IPL 2020. 

    Indian cricket news website and mobile app, Cricbuzz, also saw a significant jump in users and traffic. The initial week of the IPL season saw a 15% growth in DAUs and a massive 115% increase in video views on Cricbuzz. Over 80 million users used Cricbuzz in the first 10 days of this IPL season. The most exciting match of the season was Royal Challengers Bangalore versus Mumbai Indians, where MI pushed the contest against RCB to a Super Over – Cricbuzz witnessed 20% higher consumption than the average consumption of first 10 matches of IPL 2020. This recent spike has further consolidated Cricbuzz’s position at the summit of top cricket apps

    Pankaj Chhaparwal, CEO of Cricbuzz said, “The global pandemic had starved the country of cricketing action. The IPL has come as a welcome change and lifted everybody’s spirits. Given its leadership in cricket content, Cricbuzz has witnessed a surge that surpassed our expectations. We are expecting the growth curve to accelerate as the tournament progresses and we’ll aim to give audiences the most relevant and compelling cricket content.”
     

  • Livinguard is Official Hygiene Partner for Delhi Capitals

    Livinguard is Official Hygiene Partner for Delhi Capitals

    NEW DELHI:  Livinguard is the official Hygiene Partner for the Delhi Capitals team for IPL 2020.  Livinguard AG, with operations in India, as well as Switzerland, Germany, USA, Singapore, Japan, and South Africa, has recently introduced a revolutionary and first of its kind face mask, proven to deactivate a range of bacteria and viruses, including >99.9% of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. While most masks available across counters or open markets are preventive in nature, Livinguard face masks are protective and continuously prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading, benefiting both self and others in close proximity. 

    Livinguard Technologies founder inventor & CEO  Sanjeev Swamy said, “We are extremely proud to associate with one of the most sought-after teams of the ever-popular Indian Premiere League. The team is the perfect amalgamation of talent, experience and enthusiasm. Livinguard’s patented and revolutionary technology, applied to face masks will provide unbeatable protection for Delhi Capitals and we are honoured to be able to lessen the health risk of the crisis and enable the team to focus on the important competition ahead.” 

    Delhi Capitals CEO Dhiraj Malhotra added, “The fact that the IPL is going to be conducted amidst such challenging times is another testament to the BCCI and to IPL’s global standing as one of the top leagues amongst all sports in the world. While we restart our lives, we must remember that we have entered a new normal. The safety of our team is top priority this season. Livinguard AG fits perfectly with this agenda since their technology is truly ground-breaking, providing us with the BEST possible hygiene solutions. We believe that this association will safeguard our players and help them concentrate on the game.” 

    All-time great, ex-Australia skipper and coach of Delhi Capitals, Ricky Ponting, further added “It is crucial for the Delhi Capitals team members to be safe and we are glad Livinguard has come on board to equip us with its technologically revolutionary face masks and hygiene kits.” 

  • ABP News goes ‘Wah Cricket’ for upcoming 20-20 league

    ABP News goes ‘Wah Cricket’ for upcoming 20-20 league

    NEW DELHI: On the occasion of India’s biggest and the most celebrated sports festival, ABP News has launched a special programming initiative ‘Wah Cricket’ for the hard-core cricket fans of the country. ‘Wah Cricket’ will be a 30-minute daily evening show, providing the viewers with all the latest updates on the 20-20 tournament. The show will give the audience a 360-degree analysis, through an expert panel discussion featuring a mix of Indian cricketing legends such as Kapil Dev and current female cricketers such as Neha Tanwar and Latika Kumari. To further increase the enjoyment quotient for the viewers, the program will also comprise of a fantasy cricket segment, featuring predictions on players and team selections in various fantasy leagues. This segment will be hosted collectively by a famous female cricketer, a female anchor, and a data analyst. Another interesting segment, with fun & satirical touch called ‘Commentary Box’, will showcase Interactive Match Reports presented by animated characters and mascots, representing different cities/teams.

    Read more of our coverage on ABP News

    Apart from these programming initiatives, there will also be a special 5-minute segment on ABP News’ acclaimed Morning Show, ‘Namaste Bharat’ featuring updates from the previous day’s matches and discussions on the upcoming matches, so viewers can catch quick bytes as they begin their day.

    Read more of our coverage on IPL 

    ABP Network CEO Avinash Pandey said, “In India, the 20-20 league is not just a sport, it is an emotion. The pan-India festival is celebrated across all states with a common sentiment of happiness and excitement. Given the current scenario, the tournament will reignite the long lost energy among sports fans worldwide. Keeping this in mind, we are launching ‘Wah Cricket’ to provide all significant updates of the 20-20 league to our viewers and make the entire experience of the sporting festival, a memorable one.”

  • Disney+Hotstar taps 13 sponsors for IPL 2020

    Disney+Hotstar taps 13 sponsors for IPL 2020

    KOLKATA: Disney+Hotstar has bolstered its sponsorship portfolio for IPL 2020 with 13 sponsors. The brands which have onboarded for the largest cricket showbiz span across categories.

    The start-up unicorn Dream11 is the co-presenting sponsor and Boost is co-powered by sponsor. The 11 associate sponsors include Acko, Maruti Suzuki, KhataBook, Flipkart, Swiggy, Ace23, HDFC Bank, Great Learning, MX Player, Kingfisher Calendar and AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India).

    “Dream11 IPL 2020 will be a major catalyst for viewers and fans, who are longing to see their favourite stars back on the field. We have created avenues for interactive advertising innovations which enable brands to engage with their audience more effectively," Star and Disney India ad sales president Nitin Bawankule said.

    Read more news on Disney + Hotstar

    "This has resulted in interest and investment from prestigious brands across categories as varied as auto to e-commerce to banking. All of this, coupled with enormous interest from viewers and fans, makes us confident that this year’s Dream11 IPL will be a resounding success,” he added.

    Considerably, Disney+ Hotstar recently decided to take IPL matches behind paywall this year. It has struck deal with Jio and Airtel to boost the subscription too. Hence, the bold move will allow brands to reach high spender quality audiences.

    Read more news on IPL

    Earlier, the platform has also announced the addition of new features to the interactive Watch’N Play social feed. Replicating the exhilarating roar of the stadium, fans will be able to use an interactive emoji stream.