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  • ‘There are no plans to sell stake’ :KKR CEO Venky Mysore

    ‘There are no plans to sell stake’ :KKR CEO Venky Mysore

     Having won the previous edition of the IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is gung ho about defending the title. On the business side, the franchise is protected from the economic slowdown having done three-year deals with sponsors that will only expire at the end of this season.

     

    KKR CEO Venky Mysore has focused on making sure that KKR functions like a corporate. That means putting in systems and processes both on the revenue side and on the player front.

     

    Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto caught up with Mysore to get his take on the franchise‘s progress. Contrary to media reports, he maintains that the franchise currently doesn‘t have any plans to dilute stake.

     

    Excerpts:

     

    Q. Reports indicate that KKR might bring in a strategic investor?

    A: There is no truth to that at all. It does not make any sense whatsoever. There are no plans to sell stake.

     

    Q. Were there challenges early on in the first few seasons in terms of brand building and perception with KKR not doing well on the field?

    A: It is a fact that we were not performing at our potential. After three seasons we were the worst performing team. Over the last two years, the journey is something that we are quite proud of. A transformation took place. We changed the entire team. For the first time we qualified for the playoffs and Champions League Twenty20. Then of course, we won the event last season. The brand has also grown as a result.

     

    Q. With your appointment KKR‘s aim was to corporatise things. Is the franchise being run more professionally now?

    A: That is what we have aimed to do. We have looked at KKR as a business. Sports entertainment is our product. Behind the scenes, the aim has been to run it as a team and as a genuine business. The franchise model of the IPL is exciting and fascinating.

     

    There is a huge opportunity to leverage the brand we have built. We also want to continue building on our foundation which is the fan base. On both counts we worked hard, put a lot of new initiatives in place to build fan base and extend our brand so that sponsors who associate with us have the opportunity to benefit from the brand.

     

    When we do this, new revenue streams are generated. It has to be run as a team business as governance requirements are quite significant these days. We have to pay attention to that. We are proud of what we have done across the board but there is still work to be done.

     

    Q. I believe that after coming in, you overhauled systems and processes to an extent on the business side. Could you shed light on that?

    A. A big chunk of revenue comes from sponsorship. The key was to create a portfolio of brands that we associate with. In an ideal world you want brands that have synergies with each other and not just with KKR. You build a common platform on which each of the brands can jump on.

     

    You can run events and activities that are common to brands like a meet and greet and press conferences. We have the largest number of brands among the IPL franchises – 22 that we work with. This has helped us not only generate new revenue but also leverage and activate our brand that the association with each brand has been strong.

     

    ‘I do not know about other franchises, but our revenue generation through sponsorship and ticket sales is significantly higher than central revenue’

     

    Q. How is having Shah Rukh Khan as an owner helping? Is he hands on in terms of operations?

    A. If he wanted to be hands on, he would not have brought in somebody like me. We have to do our job, but having him is a fantastic experience.

     

    Q. Are sponsors still coming on the back of Shah Rukh Khan?

    A. Shah Rukh is Shah Rukh. You cannot take anything away from that. We have the association and strength that comes from him being in the background. But our endeavour was to make sure that we bring in sponsors on the strength of KKR. We have succeeded largely in that area.

     

    Q. Does the fact that you do not have a big corporate house backing you mean that you have to be prudent in spending?

    A. Of course! You run it like a business. There has to be a lot of discipline. One just has to manage it like any other business and work through budgets and keep going.

     

    Q. Your aim is have revenue growth of 25 per cent. What is the gameplan to achieve this?

    A. It has to be a combination of efforts. One is to increase the existing revenue streams. Another is with ticketing. There are new opportunities for packaging and improving the fan experience further. On the other hand, it is also about looking at new streams of revenue like merchandising and licensing.

     

    Q. Where does the franchise stand in terms of sponsorships?

    A. We are fortunate that when we did deals in 2011, it was for three years. Therefore there are no new sponsorship deals other than Pepsi which came in this year. After this season we will figure out what happens. Most of our sponsors are likely to continue. Other companies have expressed interest.

     

    Q. How do you cut through clutter?

    A. There is no clutter. Each brand that is with us has its own target markets and strategy. It is the association with us that takes this to another level.

     

    Q. Could you talk about how the Nokia association has benefited both?

    A. Nokia has been with us from day one. Nokia has said that the KKR association has been hugely beneficial. We have also benefited greatly because of the manner in which Nokia activates the brand.

     

    Q. In terms of local revenue, is your ticket revenue more compared to other franchises as the stadium is bigger?

    A. I do not know about other franchises, but our revenue generation through sponsorship and ticket sales is significantly higher than central revenue.

     

    Q. Could you talk about developing licensing and merchandising?

    A. It is an on-going process. First, you build your fan base and your brand. It is only on the basis of this that licensing and merchandising will pick up. We have a range of products. We have a KKR store online. There is a tremendous potential for growth.

     

    Q. How did the new slogan ‘One Team. One Pledge’ came about’?

    A. It is about a marketing strategy. Last year we had ‘New Don New Knights’ which was a new theme. Now the emphasis is on the team and how we take it to the next level. The alignment of the team being one pledge means it will go out and give its best. That is the whole thought process behind it.

     

  • CSK eyes 15-20 per cent revenue growth from IPL 6

    MUMBAI: The economic slowdown notwithstanding, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is eyeing a revenue growth of 15-20 per cent.

    The franchise has a roster of 16 sponsors which includes Nissan and VGN who came on-board this year.

    “We expect revenue growth of 15-20 per cent led to an extent by sponsorship. We have a roster of 16 sponsors this year,” says India Cements joint president marketing Rakesh Singh.

    Apart from KKR, CSK has been the only franchise whose lead sponsor Aircel has continued with the team since the inception of IPL. The franchise had also de-risked itself from slowdown by doing long-term deals.

    “The good news for us is that brands have stayed on with us through the years. Aircel has been there with us from day one. Deals that we do are generally for three years and after that they get renewed,” avers Singh.

    Singh adds that local sponsorship and central revenue put together account for 75-80 per cent of CSK‘s total revenue which last year was said to be around Rs. 1.5 billion.

    “Ticket sales account for 15-20 per cent. This year there will be more seating as three more stands have opened. So there is more capacity which we expect will lead to more revenue. Licensing and merchandising accounts for around five per cent but we expect this area to grow by 30-35 per cent for us this season as we are being more aggressive on this front,” reveals Singh.

    The franchise has launched cricket kits this year. The main focus is Tamil Nadu. The team has tied up with Switcher, a European company owned by Tirupur-based PGC for merchandise.

    The cricket gear for all age groups will be available from 15 April. These kits will include kit bags, batting gloves, leg-guard, thigh-guard, arm pad, abdomen guard and English willow bats will be sold through retail sports stores, gift shops and whole sale stores in Tamil Nadu ranging from Rs. 3800 to Rs 9900.

    CSK has also launching their new range of merchandise strategically dividing them into categories such as fan gear and fashion wear. The new range includes school bags, sippers, and key chains along with a variety of home, office products and other accessories.

    “Our aim is that at least every second month there should be an activity. The Chennai Super Kings cannot be just about two months. So we do things across the year that touches different segments of society,” adds Singh.

    As part of its on-ground activities, CSK had organised a multi discipline tournament called Super Cup before the IPL involving corporates. The franchise had also organised a cricket event with schools a few months to find a CSK junior team. It had also associated with a chess tourney as the game is very popular in Tamil Nadu.

    “We feel that it is important that when the CSK brand engages with constituents it should not be only about cricket. This way CSK will be built as a sports brand,” explains Singh.

    For fans, there is a loyalty programme called Kings Club which has an estimated 18,000 paid members. They get to avail of special offers like meet and greet events with players, match tickets etc.

  • CL T20 2013 returns to India, to kick-off 17 September

    MUMBAI: The fifth edition of Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) will be held in India from 17 September to 6 October. The international T20 tournament, which was held in South Africa last year, will return to India for the third time in five years.

    This year, the tournament will once again feature a Pakistan team in the qualifier stage. The English teams, though, will give the tournament a miss as the England Cricket Board (ECB) has expressed that its teams won‘t be able to participate in this year‘s tournament.

    West Indian team Trinidad & Tobago, who were the runners-up in the inaugural edition of the tournament, have earned a direct entry into the group stage this year after playing in the qualifier in 2011 and 2012.

    The format of the tournament will be the same as in two previous editions with a group stage preceded by a qualifier. A total of 29 matches will be played in the tournament.

    “The CLT20 will return to India this year. It will be the third time India will host the tournament in five years, after 2009 and 2011. The competition, which will again feature leading cricketers from across the world and some of the established legends of world cricket, will be watched and followed by equally passionate fans,” says CLT20 Governing Council chairman N. Srinivasan.

    The Qualifier will feature four teams – the fourth-ranked team from the IPL 2013, Otago Volts (New Zealand‘s HRV Cup champions), and the winners of the Sri Lanka and Pakistan domestic T20 competitions.

    The teams will play each other once, with the top two advancing to the group stage. The group stage will feature 10 teams.

    The top team from Group A will play the second-ranked team from Group B, and vice versa, in the semi-finals. The winners of the semis will play in the CLT20 2013 Final on 6 October. The venues of the CLT20 2013 will be decided at the end of the Pepsi IPL 2013, once the top three teams in that tournament are known.

    Group A will comprise the winner and third-ranked team in the IPL 2013, Highveld Lions (winner of South Africa‘s RAM SLAM T20 Challenge), Perth Scorchers (KFC T20 Big Bash League runner-up), and the top team from the CLT20 2013 Qualifier.

    Group B will comprise Brisbane Heat (KFC T20 Big Bash League champion), Trinidad & Tobago (West Indies T20 champion), the runner-up in the Pepsi IPL 2013, Titans (RAM SLAM T20 Challenge runner-up), and the second-ranked team from the CLT20 2013 Qualifier.

  • IPL hits Hindi GECs hard, knocks off 110 GRPs

    MUMBAI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has come back to haunt the Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) again as the cricketing extravaganza has shaved off 110 GRPs from the Hindi GECs in the week ended 6 April.

    The genre has seen a greater loss this year as compared to last year when it lost 51 GRPs in the opening week of the tournament.

    According to ZenithOptimedia managing partner Navin Khemka the IPL matches this year are more interesting and hence are attracting more viewers. “IPL this season has gained at the cost of Hindi GECs. This year has seen considerable increase in the viewership as the quality of the matches have improved.”

    When asked if Hindi GECs were not prepared for IPL, Khemka averred, “If the matches are more interesting and are doing well, I don‘t think Hindi GECs can do much to retain their audiences.”

    The week saw a shuffle in the ranking of top four Hindi general entertainment channels as Sony Entertainment Television (Set) went past Colors adding an extra eight GRPs to occupy the third spot on the Hindi GEC hierarchy.

    As per TAM data (HSM including 5 new LC1 markets, C&S, 4+) sourced from a channel, Star Plus continued to maintain its leadership position. The broadcast of Salman Khan-starrer Dabangg 2 on 31 March notched up 4.9 TVR. The channel lost seven GRPs to clock 284 GRPs.

    Star Plus had also launched a new dance reality show titled ‘Nach Baliye Shriman vs Shrimati‘, an extention of Nach Baliye, that debuted with 2.3 TVR on 6 April.

    Following Star Plus is Zee TV that lost 22 GRPs to register 185 GRPs. All the shows of the channel have seen loss in viewership.

    Meanwhile, despite the loss of 11 GRPs, Set managed to move a step ahead, displacing Colors at No. 3. Its crime-based properties Adaalat ( 1.2 TVR), CID ( 2.2 TVR) and Crime Patrol (2 TVR) continue to drive majority of the audience for the channel that closed the week with 164 GRPs (last week 175).

    Colors lost the most this week as it lived without a single 3+ TVR show. All the shows of the channels have seen drop in numbers. The channel had earned a few points last week as it had aired Femina Miss India 2013 on 24 March. For the week under review, Colors lost 35 GRPs to record 156 GRPs.

    Set‘s sister Hindi GEC Sab maintained its grip at the No. 5 spot despite losing more audience than Star Plus‘ second rung Hindi GEC Life OK. Sab lost 22 GRPs to end the week with 137 GRPs, while Life OK ended the week with 110 GRPs (last week 119).

    Sahara One with 18 GRPs (last week 22) stood at the bottom of the ladder.

  • Adidas signs-up Mahela Jayawardene as brand ambassador

    MUMBAI: Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene, who is also the captain of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Delhi Daredevils, is all set to sport the three stripes as German sportswear giant Adidas has signed him up as brand ambassador.

    To kick start this partnership, he will be part of Adidas’ latest digital and retail campaign for the IPL- ‘Loose the heat, keep the fire‘- a campaign based on the apparel technology from Adidas, ClimaCool+.

    He joins Adidas’ athlete portfolio, including the likes of the Master Blaster- Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina and international cricketers such as Keiron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga.

    He said, “I am excited and raring to step on the field in the three stripes. adidas supports some the greatest athletes in the world today and have continued to develop revolutionary products to help cricketers like me outperform. The ClimaCool+ technology in the new Delhi Daredevils team jersey certainly brings the cool, the minute you put it on, and I am all in to face the heat this season.”

    Adidas India brand director Tushar Goculdas said, “Mahela is one of the greatest cricketers of the current era- a natural leader, a fantastic batsman and an outstanding fielder. He has had a tremendous impact on the game, making Sri Lanka a dominant force in world cricket. We are excited to support him with our incredible sportswear innovations and believe this partnership will empower him further to deliver match winning performances.”

  • Westin sponsors ace golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar

    MUMBAI: Westin Hotels and Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, will be the official sponsor for Indian professional golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar. The sponsorship follows the Westin and SPG sponsorship of the Delhi Daredevils Team during IPL 2011.

    As part of the agreement, the golfer will wear the Westin logo on his T-shirt at all the events he participates in this year, and will also be a part of Westin’s promotional campaigns. He will make appearances at Starwood hotels throughout the year on behalf of Westin and Starwood’s award-winning loyalty programme, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). Through the SPG MomentsSM programme, which gives members access to unique experiences, Starwood Preferred Guest members can bid StarpointsSM to participate in exclusive golf clinics led by Gaganjeet Bhullar.

    Westin Hotels & Resorts global brand leader Brian Povinelli said, “Our sponsorship of Gaganjeet Bhullar highlights our emphasis on promoting a healthy and active lifestyle in a way that will resonate with Westin loyalists and attract new travelers and golf enthusiasts to the brand. A long-time fan of Westin, Bhullar credits the brand’s wellness programming with helping him perform at his best. We are thrilled to sponsor him as he kicks off a new year of world-class golf tournaments and ensure he is prepared to excel on the course when staying at our hotels.”

    Bhullar said, “I am excited to become part of the Westin family and am truly a long-time fan of the brand. I have stayed at Westin hotels all over the world and I credit the brand’s Heavenly Bed and Westin Workout with helping me perform at my absolute best while on the road.”

    Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts Managing Director India and Regional Vice President South Asia Dilip Puri said, “We are extremely proud to be a sponsor of Gaganjeet and do believe he has immense potential to emerge as a name to reckon with on the global Golf scene. Our association with him is about building a deeper relationship with our guests. We want to offer our guests exclusive experiences that they are most passionate about. And through our collaboration with Bhullar, our guests can connect with the elements of well being that help them to stay committed to being well and drive them to maintain the success they have worked so hard to get.”

    Twenty-five year-old Gaganjeet Bhullar is currently the youngest Indian professional golfer to be ranked in the World’s Top 100. Born in Kapurthala, Punjab, Bhullar turned professional in 2006. In 2009, Bhullar finished second in the SAIL Open tournament in India as part of the Asian Tour and finished 5th at the Black Mountain Masters. In 2009, Bhullar had his first victory on the Asian Tour at the Indonesian President Invitational. Gaganjeet, known for consistently playing at the top level, is the first Indian golfer to win the Venetian Macau Open. His recent wins at Macau and Taipei reinforce his Asian Tour performance.

  • Disney renews deal with Mumbai Indians for merchandise

    MUMBAI: Disney has renewed its deal with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians through Marvel Entertainment to release merchandise targeting children.

    Last year, the two parties had entered into a one-year deal. The Marvel-Mumbai Indians collection range will include apparel and home solutions featuring Marvel superheroes.

    The target group is children between the age group of 4 to 14 years. The goods will be available at shopping destinations across the country, including online.

    The two parties had announced their association last year with the aim of building on their brand equity. The expectation is that the licensing and merchandising business for the Under 14 target group will only increase in the coming years.

    Disney UTV MD, Consumer Products and Retail, Roshini Bakshi said, “Last year we had tied up with Mumbai Indians for a Mickey Cricket range that gained a lot of popularity with the fans. This year we are extending the relationship by bringing Marvel Super Heroes merchandise range with Mumbai Indians and giving our India fans this amazing opportunity to experience the most celebrated sport in the country with their favourite Super Heroes”.

  • GroupM ESP executes sponsorship deals worth $15 million for IPL 6

    MUMBAI: GroupM ESP, the entertainment and sports practice of media agency GroupM Media India, has said it has enabled and activated on-ground sponsorship deals worth $ 15 mn between various IPL teams and sponsors for IPL season 6.

    GroupM ESP has been an active intermediary and enabler, for clients and their brands and team owners and their franchises seeking to leverage the IPL on-ground sponsorship platform, by providing end-to-end IPL related solutions.

    Group ESP Head of Sports and Live practice Vinit Karnik says “We‘ve been part of IPL since its inception and we strongly believe that IPL is India‘s biggest and the most powerful marketing platform for brands to leverage the combined appeal of cricket and entertainment.”

    “The total value of all the on-ground deals enabled and activated by GroupM ESP in IPL 6 is estimated at US $ 15 mn,” reveals Karnik.

    The sports marketing agency worked closely with Sun TV Network‘s IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad. It enabled the new franchise to get off to strong start with 10 on-ground official partners/sponsors including Make My Trip, 7UP, Garnier, Kingfisher, Livein Jeans, Manyavar, Sheltrex, and RN Sports.

    Apart from Sunrisers Hyderabad, other high profile deals managed by GroupM ESP include Bajaj Allianz and Mumbai Indians, Flying Machine and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

    The agency had also advised Vodafone on renewing its on-ground sponsorship deal with IPL for another five years backed by a comprehensive valuation exercise based on proprietary data and insights.

  • Yes Bank adopting a 360 degree approach to the IPL

    MUMBAI: Yes Bank, which recently took the on-ground sponsorship of the IPL in a five year deal with the BCCI, is looking at endearing the brand across the masses. It is also a sponsor on Max’s coverage and is using the online medium as well.

    Speaking to indiantelevision.com, the company’s CMO Anindya Datta says the aim of associating with the IPL is to create greater awareness for the retail banking business. In terms of marketing a judicial mix of media is critical to him. “For us, on the ground and on-air sponsorships complement each other. We are sponsoring the fours package on Max’s broadcast. The aim is to create awareness of our seven per cent offering as well as build better brand visibility.”

    Meanwhile, on the ground the bank is looking to direct engagement with consumers in the branch serving areas. “Our visibility in the different stadiums will be high. Our aim is to have direct one-on-one engagements. Customised activities will be done which will be full of fun in nature. The IPL is the foremost event property and brings the country together. We were looking at a property that would have intense appeal across a wide section and would cut across regions. The aim of being with the IPL is to facilitate our brand recognition in terms of pan retail initiatives.”

    Online, Yes Bank will be active through social platforms like Facebook. There will be things done like contests. He added that while Yes Bank is involved in other sports like Golf and Polo, this deal takes its involvement in sports to a another level.

    “We have also been involved in badminton events. We were also on-board for the Goa Premier League in cricket. Obviously these are not as high profile as the IPL but they still offer visibility.”

  • Rajasthan Royals collaborates with Provogue as ‘Official Fan Wear Partner’

    MUMBAI: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals announced the signing of leading fashion label Provogue as the team’s ‘Official Fan Wear Partner’ for the upcoming sixth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    This is the franchise’s 16th partner. The earlier partner in this category was Puma and that was a four-year deal. The new deal is for a year. The franchise will also announce two more partners in the coming days. Rajasthan Royals and Provogue organised a fashion extravaganza to mark the association.

    Interestingly, one of the franchises co-owners Shilpa Shetty Kundra collaborated with the brand’s designers and has unveiled her creations for Provogue that are specially crafted for the franchises fan community. The collection aims to embody the best of suave and sophisticated yet youthful and fun dressing at the same time.

    Taking a break from their on-field performance, the entire Royals brigade including, Captain Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaun Tait, Brad Hogg and Kevon Cooper, walked the ramp displaying Provogue’s range of merchandise adding to the extant oomph factor.

    The high point of the evening for Provogue’s grand collection was Shetty sashaying down the ramp with panache in the fan wear designed by her. Provogue CEO Tim Eynon said, “We are very thrilled to be associated with a team like Rajasthan Royals as Official Fan Wear Partner for this season of the IPL. Tonight we‘ve showcased among the very best in our specially created Spring Summer 2013 collection and we’re sure fans will love the ensembles. Cricket and fashion on one grand stage in a one-of-a-kind event, we really can’t ask for more!”

    Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “Provogue saw that if the IPL was used at a price point there would be a business opportunity for a lifestyle brand like it. There will be a lot of on-the-ground activation in malls. The products will be available initially in Rajasthan, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, and contests will be organised. Provogue’s activities will result in the Rajasthan Royals brand name being hyped. The deal involves a licensing fee as well as revenue sharing. Our aim is to create meaningful connect and excitement with our fans which is how our licensing and merchandising business will grow. Our fans are truly the brand ambassadors of Rajasthan Royals and carry the team’s spirit wherever they go.”

    Shetty said, “We are excited about this new venture with Provogue. Designing clothes has been a wonderful experience and I am delighted to have had a chance to do it for our fans. The collection is innovative, high quality, originally designed and priced to suit the taste and desires of our fan community.”