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Tag: IPL

  • IPL team Rising Pune Supergiants launch new jersey

    IPL team Rising Pune Supergiants launch new jersey

    MUMBAI: Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS), the new entrant in the ninth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), unveiled the team’s official jersey in striking new colours in New Delhi today, in the presence of the team owner RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka and team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The team management also announced the appointment of ex-Indian cricketer Hrishikesh Kanitkar as the assistant coach of the side.

    Speaking on the occasion Goenka said, “On behalf of the entire family of Rising Pune Supergiants, I would like to congratulate the team’s think tank for putting up a formidable side for the upcoming season of IPL. With so many achievers and successful cricketers in our ranks we look forward to a solid performance and some electrifying camaraderie on field. Pune has a very strong fan base and they appreciate good cricket, we are looking forward to a new home and come April, the city of Pune will have their own team to cheer for.”

    Dhoni spoke about his new role as the captain of RPS, saying, “I am looking forward to a new experience with the RPS. IPL has always been the breeding ground for new exciting talents who have the potential to play vital part in the future for the Indian Cricket Team. This year we have a very balanced side with the right combination of youth and experience which is essential for any team to succeed. We have got some big hitters and players who know to bind the innings together by putting on partnerships. Both batting and bowling unit looks good on paper but consistent performance will be the yardstick for judging the team. I am really looking forward to working with the new team management and hopefully we can make the people of Pune happy with our performance.”

    RPS logo and jersey rationale 

    The elements used in the jersey connote the dynamism and ‘ever-rising’ spirit of the team RPS. The colours used are vibrant and complement each other in bringing out the winning attitude of the team. Of the colours on the jersey, purple in particular makes a statement of superiority and brings out the energy of this team of stars. “The orange colour signifies the team’s firm determination and enthusiasm to break every barrier, thus winning every game. The bold look of the jersey reflects the confidence and ability of this team of star players who have their sights set firmly on success,” said an official statement from RPS.

    The word ‘Rising’ at a deeper level traces back to the free spirit of ‘Pune’ that never bowed down before any odds. Moreover, it also depicts the heights of excellence and success the new team will achieve being studded with ‘Super’ players like Dhoni, Ashwin, and Smith. Every player in the team is a star who shines bright in every battle, giving their best under pressure. In that sense they are also ‘Giants’ with extraordinary stature, performing astonishing feats.

    The logo has a regal feel and its visual elements are an amalgamation of cricketing equipment like the bat, the ball and the bails. The wings impart an overall impression of ‘soaring high’ while the bold font provides a sense of solidity. The purple colour of the ball signifies the energy and stability of the team.

    RPS will be having ex-New Zealand Skipper Stephen Fleming as the Coach of the side. The team will also have a professional CEO in Raghu Iyer, who is a Sports, Media and Entertainment professional with 21 years of invaluable experience. Prior to joining the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, he was with Rajasthan Royals since its inception.

  • IPL team Rising Pune Supergiants launch new jersey

    IPL team Rising Pune Supergiants launch new jersey

    MUMBAI: Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS), the new entrant in the ninth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), unveiled the team’s official jersey in striking new colours in New Delhi today, in the presence of the team owner RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka and team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The team management also announced the appointment of ex-Indian cricketer Hrishikesh Kanitkar as the assistant coach of the side.

    Speaking on the occasion Goenka said, “On behalf of the entire family of Rising Pune Supergiants, I would like to congratulate the team’s think tank for putting up a formidable side for the upcoming season of IPL. With so many achievers and successful cricketers in our ranks we look forward to a solid performance and some electrifying camaraderie on field. Pune has a very strong fan base and they appreciate good cricket, we are looking forward to a new home and come April, the city of Pune will have their own team to cheer for.”

    Dhoni spoke about his new role as the captain of RPS, saying, “I am looking forward to a new experience with the RPS. IPL has always been the breeding ground for new exciting talents who have the potential to play vital part in the future for the Indian Cricket Team. This year we have a very balanced side with the right combination of youth and experience which is essential for any team to succeed. We have got some big hitters and players who know to bind the innings together by putting on partnerships. Both batting and bowling unit looks good on paper but consistent performance will be the yardstick for judging the team. I am really looking forward to working with the new team management and hopefully we can make the people of Pune happy with our performance.”

    RPS logo and jersey rationale 

    The elements used in the jersey connote the dynamism and ‘ever-rising’ spirit of the team RPS. The colours used are vibrant and complement each other in bringing out the winning attitude of the team. Of the colours on the jersey, purple in particular makes a statement of superiority and brings out the energy of this team of stars. “The orange colour signifies the team’s firm determination and enthusiasm to break every barrier, thus winning every game. The bold look of the jersey reflects the confidence and ability of this team of star players who have their sights set firmly on success,” said an official statement from RPS.

    The word ‘Rising’ at a deeper level traces back to the free spirit of ‘Pune’ that never bowed down before any odds. Moreover, it also depicts the heights of excellence and success the new team will achieve being studded with ‘Super’ players like Dhoni, Ashwin, and Smith. Every player in the team is a star who shines bright in every battle, giving their best under pressure. In that sense they are also ‘Giants’ with extraordinary stature, performing astonishing feats.

    The logo has a regal feel and its visual elements are an amalgamation of cricketing equipment like the bat, the ball and the bails. The wings impart an overall impression of ‘soaring high’ while the bold font provides a sense of solidity. The purple colour of the ball signifies the energy and stability of the team.

    RPS will be having ex-New Zealand Skipper Stephen Fleming as the Coach of the side. The team will also have a professional CEO in Raghu Iyer, who is a Sports, Media and Entertainment professional with 21 years of invaluable experience. Prior to joining the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, he was with Rajasthan Royals since its inception.

  • IPL Auction: No hat-trick for Yuvraj Singh; Shane Watson, Pawan Negi fetch maximum

    IPL Auction: No hat-trick for Yuvraj Singh; Shane Watson, Pawan Negi fetch maximum

    MUMBAI: Yuvraj Singh is a name that makes headlines every time the player auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) takes place. He has established himself as a marquee asset and expectations are always soaring. However, the 2016 IPL auction saw a new Indian player emerging as the most sought after. 

    Youngster Pawan Negi went to Delhi Daredevils and became the most expensive Indian player to go under the hammer at the recent auction fetching a price of Rs 8.5 crore, while the Australian cricketer Shane Watson emerged as the most expensive player of the IPL auction with Royal Challengers Bangalore bagging him for a mammoth Rs 9.5 crore.  

    The left arm orthodox all rounder Negi’s base price was Rs 30 lakh. What a day for the young man, who has just been named in the India squad for the Asia Cup and ICC World T20!

    Yuvraj Singh, whose performance last year failed to make any headlines, too garnered great attention. Sunrisers Hyderabad dished out Rs 7 crore for him. Last year Singh’s was won for a whopping Rs 14 crore by Delhi Daredevils.

    “Yuvraj will help Sunrisers rake in more money and fans. It’s a franchise that has not had the stardom yet, no big Indian brand has played for the team and now that they have Yuvraj, they can certainly generate higher sponsorship revenue. Fans will also be very happy with the move,” said a sports media planning expert.

    Sony Six aired the entire auction live on 6 February and the telecast had a good traction on social media too with #IPLAuction trending the entire day.

    The entire list of players who went under the hammer and were bought by the various teams are as follows: 

     

    Rising Pune Supergiants

    Mitchell Marsh – Rs.4.8 crore

    M Ashwin –  Rs 4.5 crore

    Ishant Sharma – Rs 3.8 crore

    Kevin Pietersen – Rs. 3.5 crore

    Irfan Pathan – Rs 1 crore

    Thisara Perera – Rs 1 crore

    Rajat Bhatia – Rs 60 lakh

    Ashok Dinda – Rs 50 lakh

    Scott Boland – Rs 50 lakh

    Rudra Pratap Singh – Rs 30 lakh

    Peter Handscomb – Rs 30 lakh

    Adam Zampa – Rs 30 lakh

    Ankit Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

    Ankush Bains – Rs 10 lakh

    Baba Aparajith – Rs 10 lakh

    Deepak Chahar – Rs 10 lakh

    Jaskaran Singh – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Gujarat Lions

    Praveen Kumar – Rs 3.50 crore

    Dwayne Smith – Rs.2.3 crore

    Dale Steyn – Rs 2.3 crore

    Dinesh Karthik – Rs.2.3 crore

    Dhawal Kulkarni – Rs 2 crore

    Eklavya Dwivedi – Rs 1 crore

    Aaron Finch – Rs 1 crore

    Andrew Tye – Rs 50 lakh

    Ishan Kishan – Rs 35 lakh

    Pradeep Sangwan – Rs 20 lakh

    Praveen Tambe – Rs 20 lakh

    S. Jakati – Rs 20 lakh

    Jaydev Shah – Rs 20 lakh

    Shivil Kaushik – Rs 10 lakh

    Paras Dogra – Rs 10 lakh

    Sarabjeet Ladda – 10 lakh

    Umang Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

    Amit Mishra – Rs 10 lakh

    Aksh Deep Nath – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Royal Challengers Bangalore

    Shane Watson – Rs.9.5 crore

    Stuart Binny – Rs 2 crore

    Kane Richardson – Rs 2 crore

    Travis Head  – Rs 50 lakh

    Samuel Badree – Rs 50 lakh

    Praveen Dubey – Rs 35 lakh

    Vikramjeet Malik – Rs 20 lakh

    Sachin Baby – Rs 10 lakh

    Iqbal Abdullah – Rs 10 lakh

    Akshay Karnewar – Rs 10 lakh

    Vikas Tokas – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Sunrisers Hyderabad

    Yuvraj Singh – Rs 7 crore

    Ashish Nehra – Rs.5.5 crore

    Deepak Hooda – Rs 4.2 crore

    Mustafizur Rahman – Rs 1.40 crore

    Aditya Tare – Rs 1.20 crore

    Barinder Singh Sran – Rs.1.20 crore 

    Ben Cutting – Rs 50 lakh

    Vijay Shankar – Rs 35 lakh

    Abhimanyu Mithun – Rs 30 lakh

    T Suman – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Delhi Daredevils

    Pawan Negi – Rs 8.50 crore 

    Chris Morris – Rs 7 crore

    Sanju Samson – Rs 4.2 crore

    Carlos Brathwaite – Rs 4.2 crore

    Karun Nair – Rs 4 crore

    Rishabh Pant – Rs 1.90 crore

    Sam Billings – Rs 30 lakh

    Joel Paris – Rs 30 lakh

    Akhil Arvind Herwadkar – Rs 10 lakh

    CV Millind – Rs 10 lakh

    Pawan Suyal – Rs 10 lakh

    Pratyush Singh – Rs 10 lakh

    SK Ahmed – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Mumbai Indians

    Jos Buttler – Rs 3.8 crore

    Nathu Singh – Rs 3.20 crore

    Tim Southee – Rs 2.50 crore

    Krunal Pandya  – Rs 2 crore

    KP Kamath – Rs 1.40 crore

    Jitesh Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

    Deepak Puniya – Rs 10 lakh

    Jitesh Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Kolkata Knight Riders

    Jaydev Unadkat – Rs 1.6 crore

    Ankit Singh Rajpoot – Rs 1.5 crore

    John Hastings – Rs 1.3 crore

    Jason Holder – Rs 70 lakh 

    Colin Munro – Rs 30 lakh

    R. Satish – Rs 20 lakh

    Manan Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Kings XI Punjab

    Mohit Sharma – Rs 6.50 crore

    Marcus Stoinis – Rs 5.50 crore

    Kyle Abbott – Rs 2.10 crore

    KC Cariappa – Rs 80 lakh

    Armaan Jaffer – Rs 10 lakh

    Pradeep Sahu – Rs 10 lakh

    Swapnil Singh – Rs 10 lakh

  • IPL Auction: No hat-trick for Yuvraj Singh; Shane Watson, Pawan Negi fetch maximum

    IPL Auction: No hat-trick for Yuvraj Singh; Shane Watson, Pawan Negi fetch maximum

    MUMBAI: Yuvraj Singh is a name that makes headlines every time the player auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) takes place. He has established himself as a marquee asset and expectations are always soaring. However, the 2016 IPL auction saw a new Indian player emerging as the most sought after. 

    Youngster Pawan Negi went to Delhi Daredevils and became the most expensive Indian player to go under the hammer at the recent auction fetching a price of Rs 8.5 crore, while the Australian cricketer Shane Watson emerged as the most expensive player of the IPL auction with Royal Challengers Bangalore bagging him for a mammoth Rs 9.5 crore.  

    The left arm orthodox all rounder Negi’s base price was Rs 30 lakh. What a day for the young man, who has just been named in the India squad for the Asia Cup and ICC World T20!

    Yuvraj Singh, whose performance last year failed to make any headlines, too garnered great attention. Sunrisers Hyderabad dished out Rs 7 crore for him. Last year Singh’s was won for a whopping Rs 14 crore by Delhi Daredevils.

    “Yuvraj will help Sunrisers rake in more money and fans. It’s a franchise that has not had the stardom yet, no big Indian brand has played for the team and now that they have Yuvraj, they can certainly generate higher sponsorship revenue. Fans will also be very happy with the move,” said a sports media planning expert.

    Sony Six aired the entire auction live on 6 February and the telecast had a good traction on social media too with #IPLAuction trending the entire day.

    The entire list of players who went under the hammer and were bought by the various teams are as follows: 

     

    Rising Pune Supergiants

    Mitchell Marsh – Rs.4.8 crore

    M Ashwin –  Rs 4.5 crore

    Ishant Sharma – Rs 3.8 crore

    Kevin Pietersen – Rs. 3.5 crore

    Irfan Pathan – Rs 1 crore

    Thisara Perera – Rs 1 crore

    Rajat Bhatia – Rs 60 lakh

    Ashok Dinda – Rs 50 lakh

    Scott Boland – Rs 50 lakh

    Rudra Pratap Singh – Rs 30 lakh

    Peter Handscomb – Rs 30 lakh

    Adam Zampa – Rs 30 lakh

    Ankit Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

    Ankush Bains – Rs 10 lakh

    Baba Aparajith – Rs 10 lakh

    Deepak Chahar – Rs 10 lakh

    Jaskaran Singh – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Gujarat Lions

    Praveen Kumar – Rs 3.50 crore

    Dwayne Smith – Rs.2.3 crore

    Dale Steyn – Rs 2.3 crore

    Dinesh Karthik – Rs.2.3 crore

    Dhawal Kulkarni – Rs 2 crore

    Eklavya Dwivedi – Rs 1 crore

    Aaron Finch – Rs 1 crore

    Andrew Tye – Rs 50 lakh

    Ishan Kishan – Rs 35 lakh

    Pradeep Sangwan – Rs 20 lakh

    Praveen Tambe – Rs 20 lakh

    S. Jakati – Rs 20 lakh

    Jaydev Shah – Rs 20 lakh

    Shivil Kaushik – Rs 10 lakh

    Paras Dogra – Rs 10 lakh

    Sarabjeet Ladda – 10 lakh

    Umang Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

    Amit Mishra – Rs 10 lakh

    Aksh Deep Nath – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Royal Challengers Bangalore

    Shane Watson – Rs.9.5 crore

    Stuart Binny – Rs 2 crore

    Kane Richardson – Rs 2 crore

    Travis Head  – Rs 50 lakh

    Samuel Badree – Rs 50 lakh

    Praveen Dubey – Rs 35 lakh

    Vikramjeet Malik – Rs 20 lakh

    Sachin Baby – Rs 10 lakh

    Iqbal Abdullah – Rs 10 lakh

    Akshay Karnewar – Rs 10 lakh

    Vikas Tokas – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Sunrisers Hyderabad

    Yuvraj Singh – Rs 7 crore

    Ashish Nehra – Rs.5.5 crore

    Deepak Hooda – Rs 4.2 crore

    Mustafizur Rahman – Rs 1.40 crore

    Aditya Tare – Rs 1.20 crore

    Barinder Singh Sran – Rs.1.20 crore 

    Ben Cutting – Rs 50 lakh

    Vijay Shankar – Rs 35 lakh

    Abhimanyu Mithun – Rs 30 lakh

    T Suman – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Delhi Daredevils

    Pawan Negi – Rs 8.50 crore 

    Chris Morris – Rs 7 crore

    Sanju Samson – Rs 4.2 crore

    Carlos Brathwaite – Rs 4.2 crore

    Karun Nair – Rs 4 crore

    Rishabh Pant – Rs 1.90 crore

    Sam Billings – Rs 30 lakh

    Joel Paris – Rs 30 lakh

    Akhil Arvind Herwadkar – Rs 10 lakh

    CV Millind – Rs 10 lakh

    Pawan Suyal – Rs 10 lakh

    Pratyush Singh – Rs 10 lakh

    SK Ahmed – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Mumbai Indians

    Jos Buttler – Rs 3.8 crore

    Nathu Singh – Rs 3.20 crore

    Tim Southee – Rs 2.50 crore

    Krunal Pandya  – Rs 2 crore

    KP Kamath – Rs 1.40 crore

    Jitesh Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

    Deepak Puniya – Rs 10 lakh

    Jitesh Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Kolkata Knight Riders

    Jaydev Unadkat – Rs 1.6 crore

    Ankit Singh Rajpoot – Rs 1.5 crore

    John Hastings – Rs 1.3 crore

    Jason Holder – Rs 70 lakh 

    Colin Munro – Rs 30 lakh

    R. Satish – Rs 20 lakh

    Manan Sharma – Rs 10 lakh

     

    Kings XI Punjab

    Mohit Sharma – Rs 6.50 crore

    Marcus Stoinis – Rs 5.50 crore

    Kyle Abbott – Rs 2.10 crore

    KC Cariappa – Rs 80 lakh

    Armaan Jaffer – Rs 10 lakh

    Pradeep Sahu – Rs 10 lakh

    Swapnil Singh – Rs 10 lakh

  • Rs 1500 crore riding on World T20 & IPL’s back to back play out in 2016

    Rs 1500 crore riding on World T20 & IPL’s back to back play out in 2016

    MUMBAI: Come 2016 and merely five days separate the two flagship cricketing extravaganzas – the ICC World T20 and the Indian Premier League (IPL). Even as World T20 draws to a close on 3 April, IPL takes to the ground on 9 April and riding on the two tourneys in terms of advertising spends by multiple brands is approximately Rs 1500 crore.

    While one tournament invokes national pride, the other appeals to emotions at a more regional level. The two tournaments will be played over a span of 80 days, which in turn poses the threat of fatigue.

    On one side, Star India will be pulling all stops in order to rake in the highest possible revenue. The broadcaster had an average 50 over World Cup played in Australia and New Zealand, which generated ad revenue of approximately Rs 400 crore. On the other hand, there’s Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media), which has two more editions of the IPL with them to break even and close with a neat profit. The remaining two seasons will be very crucial for SPN India’s balance sheets. It should be recalled that MSM acquired the rights of the tournament for a period of 10 years in 2007 after dishing out a whopping $1 billion.

    Ad spends on the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup can go up to Rs 400 crore including digital as per estimates of a senior media planner. “At the same time, if Sony goes by their normal 10 per cent ad rate hike even for the 2016 edition of IPL, they should manage to generate close to Rs 1100 crore, which I think they would be happy with,” the planner adds. Similar estimates were drawn by multiple other media planning executives that Indiantelevision.com spoke to.

    So when Rs 1500 crore is on the line for two major cricketing events, will the back to back scheduling eat into one another’s ad pie?

    Havas Media Group, India & South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar is of the opinion that it will not. “I don’t think the schedules of either of the tournaments will effect the advertising spends they are expecting. Whether it’s ICC World T20 or IPL season 9, there are different clients focused on them. IPL specially enjoys a different section of advertisers, who keep an eye on it in well in advance. Even with the common advertisers, it’s a question of their marketing and advertising budgets. Marketers plan their spends for a year in advance after looking at the calendar. I am sure they have prepared for both the cricketing events,” she says.

    Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia CEO and chairman Ashish Bhasin concurs with Nayyar. “I don’t think that the two tournaments scheduled one after another will have an affect on their ad revenues. This is not the first time that it’s happening. Often we do see tournaments like the IPL leading to a different sporting event or vice versa. Marketers and advertisers who look forward to such events plan their budgets and strategies accordingly in advance,” he says.

    IPL and World T20 are completely different ball games when it comes to ad spends according to Bhasin. He says, “World Cup invokes following and fandom for team India. While it appeals to everyone, it is when the India matches air that our audience is mostly interested. That is why you see peaks of viewership for India matches, which reduce drastically if India is out of the tournament early. Whereas IPL retains the general interest of all. Marketers are aware that IPL is prolonged entertainment. It is not just the game but all the action around it. Therefore, advertisers strategise for IPL and World T20 in a different way.”

    The most consistent team of the IPL – Chennai Super Kings (CSK) owned by N Srinivasan promoted India Cements will not be a part of the tournament courtesy a two year ban imposed on it. The two year ban has also been imposed on Rajasthan Royals (RR). The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has added two new franchises in the interim period. The players of the two banned teams thereby went under the hammer and after following the bidding process, the two new teams – Pune and Rajkot – absorbed them. So cricket fans will get to see their idols albeit wearing a different coloured jersey and maybe even in a new role.

    When queried as to how the absence of CSK and RR teams will impact the brand value of the tournament, Bhasin says that it might leave a certain impact on the ad rates. “Two of the biggest teams are out of the tournament and new ones have been introduced. At a time like this, clients may start questioning the credibility of the tournament all together. If the tournament has to retain its advertisers, they have to work on keeping the credibility intact,” he adds.

    “Having said that, a popular event like IPL will never have a lack of sponsors. The key issue is the ad slot prices. Over the years we have seen an increase in ad rates from the preceding tournaments for every new season. This year however, it will be hard to aim for higher ad rates for the ad slots,” he asserts.

    One thing that the SPN India president – ad sales Rohit Gupta and his team managed to achieve over the years is a constant hike in ad rates. The tournament 2015 edition, as per Indiantelevision.com’s analysis, raked in over Rs 1000 crore to make it one of the best ever IPL for the network. In the previous edition, the tournament hiked the ad rates by close to 15 per cent, taking the price of a 10-second slot to Rs 4.5 – 5 lakh. The tournament’s viewership has also kept ascending with time, and keeping the regional importance in mind, the broadcaster relayed the tourney in six different languages last year. Last year IPL was welcomed by ICC cricket World Cup. Played in Australia and New Zealand on a totally different time zone, the 50 over tournament did no harm to the flagship domestic T20 tournament.

    If sources are to believed then Star India is all set to bring back the Mauka Mauka craze. The ad campaign emerged as one of the most talked about elements during the ICC World Cup earlier this year.

    A cricket expert on condition of anonymity says, “The quality of cricket is elite in both the tournaments. India will be playing Pakistan in one of the league matches and I think that will be one of the most viewed matches of the year. Having said so, the enthusiasm won’t be similar during non-India matches, whereas when it comes to the IPL because of its unity in diversity nature all the matches turns out to be of equal importance. Pune is a good inclusion but I doubt if the pitch will last seven matches because last the time it did not. If you ask me to choose one between IPL or ICC World T20 Cup from a cricketer’s point of view, I will choose the IPL because of it’s consistent quality for a longer period of time whereas, as an Indian I will choose the World Cup because at the end of the day, when the National Anthem resonates, the feeling is special.”

    That said, the first half of 2016 will definitely be exciting for cricket, broadcasters, advertisers as well as fans of the game.

  • Rajkot IPL team roars at season 9 auction; pockets Raina, Jadeja

    Rajkot IPL team roars at season 9 auction; pockets Raina, Jadeja

    MUMBAI: The newly formed Rajkot based Indian Premier League (IPL) team owned by Intex Mobiles has unveiled its first set of players for the upcoming IPL season 9.

     

    In the auction held for the two newly formed teams, Intex managed to win some of the brightest stars of the game. The bid for this season was held at NCA Grounds in Mumbai, Maharashtra today.

     

    At the auction, the team successfully bid for Suresh Raina (Rs 12.5 crore), Ravindra Jadeja (Rs 9.5 crore), James Faulkner (Rs 5.5 crore) and Brendon McCullum (Rs 7.5 crore). With this, the Rajkot IPL team has set the ball rolling for a star-studded line-up to represent the team in the ninth season of the cash rich tourney, starting 9 April, 2016.

     

    “Our intent is to put together a really strong team to ensure a thrilling tournament for the fans. I am very happy with the players that we have been able to fix today as they are amongst the best talents in the sports. Being a new team we will inject new ideas and hopefully add lots of excitement to the upcoming season,” stated Rajkot IPL team owner and Intex Technologies director Keshav Bansal.

     

    “Intex is the leading domestic mobile handset brand in Gujarat and have a huge connect with the people of the state. We are absolutely delighted and it is an honour for us to bring the IPL to the vibrant and cricket loving state of Gujarat. I am confident of getting the love and support of our fans in Rajkot and all across the state,” he added.

  • Has KPL opened a new door for cricket crazy broadcasters?

    Has KPL opened a new door for cricket crazy broadcasters?

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media) with its recent foray into regional cricket league has given the sports industry an alternative to mainstream international cricket. The network tasted success with the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) telecast live on Sony Six and Sony Kix, which fetched good viewership.

    Cricket in India has become an expensive proposition for broadcasters with acquisition costs soaring sky high. Even as the number of sportcasters with heavy purses increase in the television ecosystem, the 365 days calendar is turning out to be too small for them to accommodate all the cricketing action through the year.

    While kabaddi showed the nation that cricket was not the only sport that created the all-pervading excitement, in a country where cricket is as big as a religion, nothing can suppress it.

    Sports channels in India without cricket in its portfolio are still considered as wingless birds. The sport-broadcasting ecosystem is going to see a tsunami of developments in the near future. The ESPN – Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India (erstwhile Multi Screen Media) deal has already prepped the industry for what’s in store. The price tag attached to the broadcasting rights of the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL) is being speculated to double if not more when they come up for fresh bidding in 2017. The rights currently vest with SPN India and were acquired after signing a $1 billion deal for 10 years.

    What’s more, it will be a tad too optimistic to assume that one of the fastest growing media conglomerate in India, Viacom 18 will not enter the sports space in the near future. Speculations are rife that the Peter Hutton led Eurosport has a keen eye on the Indian market and is planning an entry as early as sometime next year. Star India, which holds the rights to BCCI and ICC sporting events, is also likely to aggressively bid for the IPL. Star recently acquired IPL’s digital rights for three years for a mammoth sum of Rs 302.2 crore.

    Media mogul Subhash Chandra’s love for cricket is a well known fact. Chandra’s Ten Sports holds the broadcasting rights of multiple international cricket boards. Nimbus Communications’ Harish Thawani has also been taking baby steps towards cricket. Recently his sports channel Neo Sports acquired the broadcasting rights of Bangladesh Premier League.

    At a time like this, KPL has come as a new and lucrative avenue as far as cricket is concerned. Sony Six and Sony Kix business head Prasana Krishnan is of the opinion that the seriousness of the Karnataka State Cricket Association plays a vital role in garnering high viewership. “KPL is actually a very sincere effort from the association. They have been doing it with precision. Despite it being a low budgeted affair, it is being executed with sheer class,” he tells Indiantelevision.com.

    The timing of the league is also a vital factor as per Krishnan. “It is played post the monsoons and during that period there is neither much international cricket featuring India nor are there many big leagues scheduled. At a time like this, when you add good production value, it makes for a good property,” he informs.

    However, it does beg one vital question: Are there enough monetising avenues available? “KPL for us is an experiment. More than revenue, it’s a matter of extending our portfolio. The revenue will depend on quality. It depends on the players available. For now, it’s a portfolio formation for us. We will look into other aspects with time,” says Krishnan.

    Neo Sports EVP programming Mautik Tolia also feels that regional leagues can be a good prospect for broadcasters provided the expectations are realistic. “Regional cricket leagues helps broadcasters in reaching out to a new audience. Our foray into Bangladesh Premier League has given us a new set of audience from the West Bengal region. If there is an opportunity to acquire rights of any such regional cricket league, we will aggressively bid for it,” Tolia says.

    A senior media planner feels that if broadcasters package and promote regional cricket leagues, it can be a profitable proposition. “There are a good number of regional advertisers, who cannot afford the high ad rates of international cricket tourneys. If there is good return on investment, advertisers will like to be there. But the broadcaster will have to take the sport seriously,” the planner asserts on condition of anonymity.

    In the west, school and college championships in NBA and Rugby garner a huge traction. What’s more, sports broadcasters too back it aggressively and produce it with serious energy. However, the scenario is a little different with cricket in India as per Krishnan. “NBA or Soccer scout for players from schools and colleges. There is no other tournament involved in the system. With cricket, a cricketer has club and Ranji commitments, which are all 365 days engagements. So it will be unfair to compare this to the west. We will evaluate all possibilities and if we find a regional league, which has quality players involved in it and is played at a time when team India is not in action, we will go for it,” he affirms.

    It was recently reported that Chandra was planning to start a cricket league in Chandigarh. It remains to be seen how broadcasters react to SPN India’s start. One this is certain that channels need to look beyond international cricket to have the sport in their portfolio without burning a hole in their pockets. Who does it and on what scale is only a matter of wait and watch.

    Ratings of KPL 2015

  • IPL: Sanjeev Goenka’s New rising wins bid for Pune team, Intex wins Rajkot

    IPL: Sanjeev Goenka’s New rising wins bid for Pune team, Intex wins Rajkot

    MUMBAI: The speculations are finally over. The Indian Premier League (IPL) will be an eight team affair in 2016 as the Board Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) auctioned the two new franchises, Pune and Rajkot. Sanjeev Goenka’s New Rising won Pune franchisee while the Rajkot team is owned by the mobile phone manufacturer Intex.

     

    The two interim teams will not get a slice of BCCI’s franchise revenue instead Goenka’s will dish out Rs 16 crore, while Intex will pay Rs 10 crore to the board as they acquired the franchises for the respective amount in the reverse bidding process.  

     

    Pune and Rajkot will now have the option to choose from the top five players of CSK and RR. This will be decided during a players draft on 15 December 2015.

     

    After series of controversies, rounds of introspection, intervention by the Supreme Court of India, the BCCI decided to ban the N Srinivasan owned Chennai Super Kings and Raj Kundra’s Rajasthan Royals for two years.

     

    The decision posed a grave threat to the IPL fixture that would have otherwise been curtailed to an event with just six teams, and hence a lower number of matches. With the inclusion of the two new teams the tourney is back to eight teams. So the official broadcaster Multi Screen Media will have the same time span to monetise the cash rich league. 

     

    The rights acquisition cost were sold at $1 billion for a period of ten years to Multi Screen Media (MSM) which will conclude after 2017 edition.

  • ‘Technology is the future of experiential marketing:’ Vidur Patney

    ‘Technology is the future of experiential marketing:’ Vidur Patney

    MUMBAI: When talking of marketing campaigns we often come across the term ‘on ground activation.’ While at a rudimentary scale, it’s how a brand markets itself through direct engagement with consumers, its utility and purview is infinitely evolving. The idea is to create a bond between the consumer and the brand beyond ‘buying and selling’ by immersing them in a fun and memorable experience, which evokes emotions within the consumers that they thereafter associate with the brand instead.

     

    From a simple handing out of Red Bull cans at a music concert to Multi Screen Media’s open air bus ‘Bulaava Express,’ which toured the country across 13 cities creating euphoria for the 2014 IPL — the beauty of experiential marketing lies in its flexibility of mode and scale to target the consumers.

     

    While the concept isn’t new to marketers, its rapid evolution over the years armed by technology and digitisation has made it increasingly important to understand experiential marketing from an insider’s perspective.

     

    With that in mind, Indiantelevision.com approached recently appointed Maxus national director – experiential marketing Vidur Patney to shed light on the changing landscape of experiential marketing, and the role it is going to play in the near future.

     

    Purview:

     

    From on ground and van activations through major cities to team building activities from brands at corporate level, experiential marketing plays on a wide range, and the possibilities are endless.

     

    How you use the formula to connect with your consumer, what chord you strike with them in the process is what puts you at an advantage when it comes to this form of marketing. The idea is to wow the consumers with unique interactions and engagements that leave impressions in their minds. Creating vanilla experiences that the consumers can then start associating with the brand is also part of the process.

     

    Though the possibilities are endless, it is getting increasingly challenging to come up with new ways to give consumers that vanilla experience. The only way forward is to use the available digital and technological tools at our disposal. By identifying how the consumers engage with such tools, we come up with concepts that allow us to make the most of it.

     

    Evolution:

     

    The evolution of experiential marketing has happened in three phases. Often considered an old school marketing art, the first hurdle was to get brands and marketers to realise its potential in the current ecosystem. To make them look beyond the generic TVC marketing and acknowledge that today consumers are not content with just knowing a brand through their television sets.

     

    Once that was established, phase two was to explore the various ways in which experiential marketing can be used, and integrated with the headlining campaigns. This was the period we saw an increase in on-ground activities, contests, product launches where consumers could interact with brand ambassadors, etc.

     

    Once that was achieved, we had to think how to expand the reach of experiential marketing, take it from being a space restricted solution, to a trigger that leads to conversations and interactions about a brand on a larger scale. That’s why currently we are concentrating on making way for more and more shareable experiences using the digital platforms.

     

    Role of technology:

     

    There’s no denying the fact that technology is the way forward when it comes to marketing, be it at the concept level or while executing. It has become an integral part of our consumers’ lifestyle. We can not only target consumers better with analytical tools made available to us through technology, but also engage consumers to give them the best of experiential.

     

    Technology is also the differentiator when a brand wants to stand out and grab eyeballs. It is no longer something people are averse to. People are willing to accept technology into their lives and know more. As a result, to customise for them, to garner more participation and deliver a powerful brand message, technology plays a very important role.

     

    The tools could be one on one engagement through technology, giving consumers a virtual experience. Use of technology is important because it is something today’s generation is excited about. If used right, it helps give that wow factor and conveys a much stronger message for the brand. Also, it goes a long way into consumers accepting what you are saying and giving them something memorable.

     

    For example, the recent use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality technology can and has opened up new avenues when it comes to experiential marketing. People can now get a first hand interaction with how a brand functions. These are extremely useful tools for automobile and technology related brands where a consumer can see the inner workings of a car or a phone. It has a much bigger impact than simply sharing the specs with a consumer. But its use is endless when it comes to other sectors as well. One may argue that applying virtual and augmented reality in marketing may rack up the cost of marketing for brands but that’s just the initial phase. Just like any other technology, it’s the first investment that costs more, after which one can cash in on them while enjoying more innovations.

     

    Going beyond metros:

     

    Experiential marketing can be a very important marketing tool when it comes to tier II and tier II cities. We have noticed that while on ground activations work in metros, its reach is becoming limited. It only draws in a niche crowd. The urban consumer isn’t easily wowed by simple events, you need to spend more and innovate your engagement concepts to keep their interest. They get easily bored. Consumers in tier II and tier III cities, on the other hand, can still be catered with vanilla experiences by creating simple engaging moments. With brands now looking their way to expand consumer base, use of experiential marketing becomes crucial in those areas.

     

    We recently did an on-ground activation for a movie screening in Indore where hundreds of kids and their parents turned up by simply allowing them to play games on an app we developed for the event. In a metro that would have only interested a niche group, way below hundred.

     

    Experiential marketing in sports:

     

    If there is one section where experiential marketing dominates, it is sports. We all interact with sporting events for a personal connection, be it our passion for the sport, our loyalty to a team or love for a favourite player. That is why brands love to associate with sporting events. It is easier to create those memorable moments, which brands would to be credited for. They want consumers to associate their favourite on ground memories with the brands.

     

    There are numerous possibilities for experiential marketing for any sporting event, be it Indian Premiere League, Indian Super League, Pro Kabaddi League, etc.

     

    A holistic marketing solution:

     

    Experiential marketing and digital marketing forms two important pillars of the core media solution that we provide our clients. Having an experiential marketing arm gives Maxus an added advantage of providing a holistic marketing solution.

     

    It’s a three way communication within Maxus that helps us achieve that. When it comes to digital technology and bringing it on ground, we have Metalworks. Figuring out how that technology can be used to wow and create a memorable experience for the consumer is what we at Experiential Marketing do. When these come together with Maxus’s core media vertical, we are able to give brands the best possible solution to engage with the consumer.

     

    Going only experiential:

     

    So far experiential has worked in collaboration with core media and other arms of marketing. While there are certain brands that can go only experiential as their marketing strategy, it highly depends on the brand’s target audience and the type of campaign. There are some products for which experiential gets the lion’s share of the marketing budget.

     

    While there is no set rule, more and more brands are keeping budgets aside for experiential marketing because it’s the last mile of communication between the brand and a consumer.

     

    Experiential works best when it’s area specific. If a brand launches a product aimed at consumers of a certain area, having a localised approach makes more sense rather than a TVC.

  • Vivo furthers Indian localisation strategy with IPL; plans major marketing push

    Vivo furthers Indian localisation strategy with IPL; plans major marketing push

    MUMBAI: With an aim to expand its Indian localisation strategy as well as furthering its interest and association in sporting events, Chinese multinational manufacturer of smartphones Vivo has set sight on the Indian market field in a big way.

     

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Vivo hit a six by grabbing the title sponsorship for the multi-million dollar cricket tourney – The Indian Premiere League (IPL) for a period of two years. The move came in the wake of Pepsi withdrawing its title sponsorship deal.

     

    This is Vivo’s first and so far the largest brand association since its launch in the Indian market. With 2015 being Vivo’s 20th anniversary and the first anniversary in India, the company sees Vivo-IPL making the throttle of its development even stronger.

     

    In the coming two seasons (2016 and 2017), Vivo and IPL will have extensive cooperation in terms of sports events, on-ground activations, media exposure and marketing campaigns.

     

    As a brand, Vivo has shown great interest in sports and had sponsored NBA’s live broadcasting in China last year. With an aim to enhance its brand awareness and reputation as well as get closer to its potential customers in the vast Indian market, Vivo will be utilising the IPL medium to the hilt over the next two years with a major marketing push. The Chinese company plans to launch 360 degree marketing campaigns, which will include athlete endorsements, television commercials (TVCs), venue advertisements, on-ground activation, digital and social media campaigns and fan meetings amongst others.

     

    Vivo Mobile India CEO Alex Feng said, “We always believe in supporting new talents and associated ourselves only with premium events globally. This investment reiterates how important Indian market is for us, and we are confident that Vivo will get returns from our investment in IPL, and this association will further advance our Love India, Love Vivo initiative.” 

     

    “Vivo is the pioneer of Hi-Fi music smartphone, and we strive to create smartphones combined with artistic design and technological innovation. Vivo’s spirit is to pursue excellence and create surprises. IPL, as the world’s premium cricket event, is also creating the ultimate sports experience to the world. It is this shared commitment to excellence that brought IPL and Vivo together,” he added.

     

    BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said, “IPL is all about opportunities and exhibition of talent and with Vivo coming in as the title sponsor, it is yet another initiative to showcase a brand, which is young, full of life and looking for a platform to showcase its talent. Just like the IPL, Vivo in a very short span have created a niche and legacy in the smartphone market and I am sure this will be a long and enriching affiliation for both the stakeholders.”

     

    Speculations were rife that in the light of the match fixing controversy, which led to Pepsi pulling out of the IPL title sponsorship, the sponsorship rates might drop. However, Thakur informed that the IPL was still a coveted property in the eyes of many a brands. Thakur says that Vivo was not the only brand, which had bid for the IPL title sponsorship and that there were four brands, which were interested in coming on board as the title sponsor for the IPL and another three (apart from Vivo) were still interested in coming on board via different associations.. 

     

    Starting from 2014, Vivo initiated its global expansion including India. The company’s association with IPL is a strong sign of its ambition of the long term development in India. Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative also resonates with Vivo’s plan. Its assembly unit in Greater Noida is the first step toward this commitment. With Rs 125 crore first-phase investment, this unit will be operational in November, 2015.

     

    The company employs 8,000 people in India and has associated with over 10,000 retailers, in over 300 cities in 22 states, with a strong focus on Hi-Fi Music. The company embedded Hi-Fi & Smart into its brand and product genes. It created the world’s first Hi-Fi smartphone, established smartphone Hi-Fi standard and upgraded it to Hi-Fi 2.0.